


Recrudescence

by lukeloops



Series: Ouran Daydreams (KyoHaru) [3]
Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergent, F/M, Flashbacks, Multi, Post-Series, Romance, implied asexuality, implied bisexuality, probably quite a lot of feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-04-26 17:31:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 44,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5013649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lukeloops/pseuds/lukeloops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haruhi thought that leaving school and starting her Law studies would mean a fresh start. But she soon finds herself caught up in a rollercoaster ride of events that bring old faces back to haunt her... Meanwhile, Tamaki is struggling to come to terms with adult life, Mori is facing the prospect of losing his beloved cousin to marriage, and Kyoya thinks he's got an idea that will boost his reputation well above that of his troublesome older brother, but it's risky. Very risky.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been at it again. This one utilises a slightly different writing style, and takes place during Haruhi's first term at university, so everyone is sort of two and half years older than at the start of the series. It's also 20k so far and I'm not finished, so I think we're in it for the long haul... let me know what you think!

Kyoya is entirely unsurprised when the intercom buzzes and a musical voice, still coloured by a French accent, wheedles to be let in.

Threading his belt through the loops on his jeans, he unlocks the front door. Tamaki is pulling such a face that Kyoya wordlessly steps aside and allows the pouting blonde to follow him into his apartment.

There are two doors to the left, leading to the kitchen and office, but it’s into the main room that they go. One wall is covered entirely with built-in storage and bookshelves, with a floor-length mirror reflecting the meticulously made bed strewn carelessly with crumpled towels and steam still seeping slowly around the open door to the en-suite. To the right, a glass door leads out to the balcony, a slice of the evening city skyline.

“It happened again!” Tamaki flops melodramatically onto the bed, kicking his shoes off and shoving a towel away from him. “Exactly the same argument as last time. It was _my_ choice to go to college, Dad said he’d support whatever I did.”

“And pay for it, of course.” Kyoya picks up a bottle of expensive aftershave from his dresser and turns to the mirror.

Tamaki eyes his friend’s bare torso. “You’ve got even skinnier,” he remarks, then pushes his hair back and continues his tail of woe. “But this time, it was _him_ that said I should either switch to Business Studies or quit! Can you believe it? It’s not like I won’t be prepared to take over the family business when the time comes, Grandmother’s made sure of that. They both promised that as long as I continued to learn from her, I could do whatever else I want. And _I_ want to study French Literature and Classical Music.”

“Why?” asks Kyoya, replacing his glasses on his face. “What are you actually gaining from all this?”

An exasperated sigh escapes Tamaki. “You are blinder than ever if you fail to see the beauty in culture _mon ami_ ,” he says mournfully, and then asks, “Where are you going?”

Kyoya is now selecting a shirt from the wardrobe. He shrugs, then pulls a steel-grey number from its hanger and slips it over his slender shoulders. “Just out somewhere. I could do with a drink.”

“I’ll bet my Rolex there’s a fridge full of beer in the kitchen right now.” Tamaki knows his friend well.

“You know what I mean.” Kyoya runs a hand through his hair, and then sits on the edge of the bed, long fingers working on his shirt buttons. “And anyway, your watch is ugly, I wouldn’t want it.”

Tamaki feigns heartbreak, clutching his wrist that sports an ostentatious white-gold watch, gifted to him by his father when he graduated from high school.  
When his theatrics are over, he rolls onto his side and suggests, “Stay in tonight. I’ll keep you company. We can watch some of those horror movies that you like to scare me with.”

Kyoya rolls his eyes and mutters, “I was hoping for better company really”, but rises from the bed and leaves the room, returning a moment later with four bottles of beer and a bottle opener, that he sets on the coffee table before picking up a cigarette case and sliding opening the balcony door.

Tamaki opens two beers and joins him outside, handing him one of the drinks. Kyoya lights a cigarette and passes it to Tamaki, who takes a puff and then splutters.

“You’re obviously not really that French.” Kyoya remarks as he lights a cigarette of his own, then takes a swig of the beer, leaning against the rail.

“ _Comme si comme sa.”_  Tamaki has another go at smoking but it’s still disgusting, so he holds the cigarette between his pianist’s fingers and studies it as it slowly burns away. “What’s it all for?” he asks suddenly.

“Hmm?” Kyoya exhales, a string of smoke passing from between his lips. “What do you mean?”

“You work from dawn till dusk on med school, then you come home and bury your nose in business. And then once you’ve stressed yourself out, you go off and find some girl in a bar to take it out on and repeat the next day.”

Kyoya studiously watches a drop of condensation sliding down the neck of his bottle. “I fail to see your problem.”

Tamaki presses on. “I mean like, what are you actually fulfilling in yourself? Your dad’s expectations don’t count.”

“You’ve obviously never hooked up with anyone, have you?” Kyoya smirks, dropping his cigarette butt over the balcony and watching it disappear into the world below.

“Well, no.” Tamaki follows his friend back inside, closing the balcony door against the evening chill. “You know I’m saving myself for marriage. But still.”

Kyoya places a disk into the player and sprawls across the bed, reaching for the remote. “Whatever. Your loss.”

“Have you always been this cynical?” Tamaki asks as he settles himself on the other side of the bed. It’s a rhetorical question of course.

 

 _Tamaki is confused when he wakes up; it’s dark, but he can tell that this room isn’t his own. He’s also still fully dressed. A snuffle to his right causes him to turn over and be met by a facefull of black hair._  
Ah of course, he’s still at Kyoya’s. They’d been watching a film together, and had then stayed up late discussing the club they’re going to start when summer ends and they move up to Ouran High. They must have both fallen asleep some time ago, because the luminous screen on the alarm clock is reading 3:49.  
He’s tired; he rolls back over to avoid the glare of the alarm clock and sleeps again.

_This is far from the last time they share a bed; never touching, and never saying anything about it afterwards, but it happens._

 

When the film ends, Kyoya yawns and stretches, saying, “I’m going for another cigarette. Did you want one?”  
Beside him, Tamaki shakes his head, hugging his knees. He’s feeling a bit queasy after watching an entire screaming cast get massacred by a katana-wielding antagonist.  
Kyoya punches his knee. “Make yourself useful and go and get more drinks then.” He stands and strides out onto the balcony.

Tamaki shakes off the thought of crazed murderers and pads to the kitchen, collecting two more cold beers. When he returns, he stares thoughtfully at the silhouette of his friend through the glass. Numbers are adding up.

Kyoya coughs as he re-enters the room, undoing the top button of his shirt. He goes to take the beer Tamaki is holding out to him, and the blonde grabs his sleeve.  
“You miss her, don’t you?” Tamaki asks, but his eyes say it’s not really a question at all. “You miss Haruhi.”


	2. 2

Haruhi is dreading the conversation she’s about to have. Hands full of grocery bags, she struggles to open the front door for a moment, then steps inside and flicks on the kettle.  
She’s almost finished putting everything away when her dad comes home too; he’s obviously been to the hairdresser’s, and his glossy auburn hair is now bouncy and curled. He immediately starts chattering about something, but Haruhi interrupts him. “I need to talk you about something.” She hands him a cup of tea and leans against the counter.

“What is it sweetie? You know you can tell me anything. You’re not in trouble are you? Is it a boy? Do you need me to-“

“Dad, I’m moving out.”

Ranka’s cup slips from his manicured hands and smashes on the floor. “Moving… out?” He whispers.  
Haruhi immediately sets herself to clearing up. “I worked it out, and if I shared accommodation with two other people within two miles of campus, then it’d be cheaper than commuting every day. Plus I’ll be nearer work, so I’ll be able to take on more shifts and not have to worry about the trains at night. And now I’ve found a couple of people who also need somewhere to live.”

The lease is already signed, but she tries to make it sound like she’s consulting him anyway. Not that he has anything to say.

“I have to leave for work now”, she says eventually. Ranka is still staring tight-lipped at the cupboards behind her. “I love you, see you later.”

She leaves him standing frozen in the kitchen.

 

 _“I miss Mummy”, she says quietly, laying her head on her Dad’s knee. She is seven, almost eight, and they’re both awake in the middle of the night._  
“Me too.” He pulls her onto his lap and wraps his arms around her. “But I’ll always have you. And you’ll always have me.”  
Their family is small but close-knit. Just the two of them. 

_-_

The café where Haruhi works is bustling with customers, and she has to fight her way to the tables she’s meant to be cleaning. At one point, she trips over somebody’s handbag, and almost sprawls into another customer’s lap.

“I’m very sorry sir,” she apologises as she straightens up, “I- _Mori-senpai!”_

Her face cracks into a wide smile as she recognizes the man, and he smiles too. He is as tall and broad as ever, but his eyes are just as soft.  
“Haruhi. It’s been a while.”

Haruhi wipes the next table over while mentally calculating. It was before the twins left for Canada, so two months at least. “I know right! How are things? How are your studies?”

Never one to waste words, Mori nods in answer. “You?”

She starts to say “Great thanks, school is incredible!”- but cuts herself off as she notices the untouched, and obviously cold, coffee cup on the opposite side of table to Mori’s empty one.

“Forgive my nosiness, Mori-senpai, but were you meeting someone?”

He looks down at the table. “Call me Takashi. And it doesn’t matter, she’d have been here by now if she was coming.”

Haruhi feels a pang in her chest, and places a hand on the gentle giant’s shoulder. Before she can say anything, however, her boss yells at her from behind the counter to come and wash up.

“I’ll catch you soon,” she promises.   
“Text me.” Mori nods and watches her disappear.  
He leaves a generous tip next to his address scribbled on a napkin for when she comes back to clear his table. Haruhi pockets his address but not the change, handing it instead to her colleague at the counter. She’s never been a fan of charity, even when it’s offered with the best of intent.

 

 _“What’s that?” Haruhi looks from the envelope Kyoya has just placed in front of her, on top of her notes, to the boy himself, who is smiling._  
“Shares of the Ootori group, the Suoh group and the Hitachiin business, all in your name.”  
Haruhi prods at the envelope as though it’s a dead mouse. “I don’t get it.”  
“When you started looking at universities a year ago, I spoke to your father and he handed over the trust fund he and Kotoko started when you were born. I invested the money wisely, with a small donation of my own, and if you sell the shares now then there’ll be enough profit there to see you quite comfortably through law school. Of course, they’re in your name, so you have to sign.”

_He is smiling proudly. No, not proudly. Like a jerk._

_Haruhi pushes her chair back and stands, drawing herself up to her full height, which is still eight inches short of him. They lock eyes._

_“Say something Haruhi.”_

_Without breaking eye contact, she picks up the envelope- and tears it in two._

_“What the hell, Kyoya? What makes you think it’s okay to do something like that behind my back?” She throws the torn envelope at his chest._

_“Haruhi, I-“_

_“Save your excuses for someone who cares.” She elbows past him and out of the room. “And save your money for someone who wants it.”_

 

-

 They are laying on the bed again, Kyoya staring at the ceiling, Tamaki on his side facing him. They’ve just finished their fifth beer apiece.

“You stole the girl I was going to marry, you owe me the truth at least.” Tamaki’s words are deadly serious, but a little slurred.

“Since when were you going to marry her?” Kyoya snorts.

“Don’t laugh,” protests Tamaki. “My dad had approved it and everything. And then you got your greedy hands on her.”

“We were in love, or something like that.” says Kyoya mildly. “It couldn’t be helped.”

“Answer my question then.”

Kyoya takes off his glasses, folds them up on the bedside table, and resumes his position. “No, we never went the whole way. She never said she was ready, and I never asked.”

“Who was it then? Your first, I mean.”

“The very next girl to trust me.” Kyoya smiles fondly at the memory. “Best forty-five seconds of my life.”

They both burst out laughing. But when it’s quiet again, Kyoya sighs heavily and says, “It’s not the same though.”

Tamaki hiccups. “You know, Haruhi’s stu… _studying_ in this very city. You could ask her to lunch, maybe try and be friends again. That’d be good.”

Kyoya stands, tugging off his belt and turning the lights off, before lying back down, facing away from Tamaki.  
Tamaki understands the conversation is closed. He presses himself against his friend’s back, feeling the bones of his hips and shoulders jutting out.

 

_“I’m too nervous though.” Tamaki is twisting his fingers in the air before him. “I’ve never kissed anyone properly before. If I mess it up, will she still want to go out with me?”_

_“Probably not.” Kyoya is too tired for sympathy, and really wants Tamaki to be quiet._

_“Have you? Kissed anyone?”_

_The taller boy turns to face his fretting friend. “No, me neither.”_

_There is a minute of heavy silence._

_“D’you wanna… you know?” Tamaki asks._

_“What, practice?”_

_“Yeah.” He bites his lips._

_“If it will shut you up so I can go to sleep then sure, whatever.” But in the darkness, Kyoya’s eyes are wide and his face is burning._

_It’s a messy, hesitant affair. Their noses knock together, and Tamaki tries to use his tongue but both of them are a little grossed out, pulling away from each other.  
It’s awkward for a few seconds, but then Tamaki grins. “Okay, I’m definitely straight.”_

_“Good for you. Hush now.” Kyoya buries himself into the covers._


	3. Chapter 3

Three days later, Kyoya is pacing nervously up and down his small study. The walls are covered in newspaper clippings, charts and graphs, and the odd hand-drawn sketch of cells or drug compounds that he found particularly interesting to read about.

His father is sitting at the desk, with a grim look on his face as he speaks. “The board has vetoed plans to re-invest the profits of these companies-“ he gestures at the pile of folders he has placed on the desk- “on the grounds that expansion will generate smaller profit margins for the next ten years, even taking inflation into account. Subsequently, all of the shareholders that we believed to be in it for the long haul have done a complete U-turn and decided that their money is better invested in our competitors.”

“That’s quite an oversight.” Kyoya murmers. “But where do I come into all of this?”

The Ootori patriarch fixes his youngest child with a piercing stare. “I want you to buy all the available stakes. Including mine.”

Kyoya’s feet cease their pacing. He stares back at his father, and then laughs coldly. “You flooded the market with your own companies and now you want me to save them with my money?”  
He’s almost expecting a slap for his rudeness, but that doesn’t happen.

“Think about it.” Yoshio urges. “Share prices are at rock-bottom. Seize them all up now, and I’ll lend you the necessary capital to follow up the expansion plans. Your brilliant mind will achieve more alone than the entire board. When our investors see it for themselves, they’ll be clamouring to buy back their shares.”

“And I’m supposed to just hand everything back over to you?”

“Not at all. And I won’t even charge you interest for the loans.”   
Kyoya stares dumbstruck at his father, who pushes his glasses up his nose so that they catch the light and glint in a sinister- and familiar- way.  
“Consider this a favour,” he continues, steepling his fingers. “An opportunity. I’m handing it to you on a platter. I haven’t even approached your brothers.”

“So what do you gain out of it?” Kyoya’s brain is whirring, covering all possible angles.

Yoshi gets to his feet. “I won’t be head of the Ootori group forever.” He reminds his son. “I want all of our competitors to remember that our name means we are smart, but more than that we are ruthless. I want you to further our reputation. And I know you can.”

After his Father leaves, Kyoya takes the pile of folders out to the balcony and flicks through them while he smokes. _Yes_ , he thinks _, I will make him proud. And it will be_ my _name that will be infamous.  
_ Power is the thing that drives him after all, that feeds his brain, more so than oxygen. And he is holding power in his hands right at this very moment.

Everything has always been about power.

 

_“I need to have my bath and get to sleep,” she is saying, “We’d best hang up now.”_

_“Oh but now I’m picturing you naked, I’ll be too hot and bothered to sleep.” He complains.  
“Kyoya!” Her tone is reproachful but she’s laughing. Time for a little game, perhaps. A little exercise in power._

_“Do you think about me when you touch yourself?” He asks suddenly._

_Haruhi’s shock is evident in her voice as she stammers, “I don’t really do… y’know, that. It’s… not the same.”_

_“Oh really?” His smirk is audible._

“ _Yeah.” She says shyly. “I… like it more when you do things to me.”_

_Kyoya’s smirk widens and one hand wraps lazily around his hardening cock. “So what do you like best?”_

_Haruhi hesitates for a moment and then whispers, “When you put your mouth on me, there I mean. It’s been a while and-“_

_“I see,” he interrupts. “So… you want me to eat you out, do you?” His voice is low and warm now, and he grips himself harder._

_“That’s rude!” She whispers. But her breath is starting to become fast and shallow. He knows he’s got her now._

_“You’d better get used to it,” Kyoya purrs. “Because next time I see you, I’m going to make you beg…”_

 

-

 Haruhi is putting the finishing touches to her room, in her new flat. She’s sharing with two American girls, who are loud and insensible but friendly enough.

With the last of her textbooks stacked in alphabetical order- on the floor because there isn’t enough shelving- Haruhi flops down on her bed and turns her attention to the pile of mail that her dad delivered earlier, along with the last of her things. There are letters from both twins, and a postcard from Renge. But it’s the brown envelope that catches her attention the most. Inconspicuous but accompanied by a sense of foreboding.  
She’s right to worry. Inside the envelope is a wordy, long-winded letter from the bank. Haruhi reads it several times before the message sinks in.

“They’re lowering the amount I can borrow by thirty percent,” she whispers to herself. Her hands clench into fists, nails digging into her palms.

 _It’s no big deal_. _You can just get a second job. It’ll be fine._

Haruhi goes into the small kitchen and prepares tea on autopilot. She seats herself at the round wooden table, picking up yesterday’s abandoned newspaper to try and distract herself. Nothing works, except the headline of the financial page.

  **Stakeholders lose confidence in Ootori development plans**

 She’d wondered how long it would be before she saw that name again.


	4. Chapter 4

“What do you mean, you’ve never been to a club?” demands her flatmate Becky incredulously.

Haruhi shrugs. “It’s never really appealed to me.”

“But you’ve drank before?” Jessica asks.

“A couple of times.” Haruhi can’t understand why the two girls are in such shock at her.

 

_It’s after the Ouran Fair. The seven of them are at the twins’ house drinking champagne that, to Haruhi at least, tastes like sour milk, but it’s probably incredibly expensive._

_“A toast then, gentlemen.” Tamaki holds up his glass, which has just been refilled. A little sloshes out. “To the Host Club!”_

_“To you not getting married to a dessert!” Kaoru adds._

_“And to Haru-chan for saving the day.” Honey finishes._

_Their glasses clink and are drained. Haruhi leans into Kyoya’s shoulder. She feels dizzy. He pats her head a little clumsily._

_“I don’t think Haruhi’s up to being much of a heroine any more.”Hikaru grins. “Just to remind you, this particular carpet is safe to vomit on, but if you want to try and get to a bathroom then be careful of the hall carpet. That one’s an antique.”_

“It’s settled then.” Becky claps her hands. “Let’s have a girls’ night out!”

It sounds like utter hell to Haruhi. But they’re right, since moving in she’s done nothing but work and study. It might be good to let her hair down. Figuratively, of course. Her hair is still cropped short, now in a slightly smarter, more feminine cut at her father’s insistence, but ultimately impossible to style or anything like that. She prefers it that way.

Haruhi pulls one of her two dresses out of her wardrobe, blue with a flared skirt and golden buttons on the collar. “Will this do?”

“Oh, it’s so cute!” Jessica gushes, and Haruhi is reminded of hosting.

“I just need to find some tights, I haven’t done laundry because of the move-“ she’s interrupted by a cry of “Noooo!”

“Huh?”

“No tights.” Jessica scolds, wagging her finger. “Legs good, tights bad. Do you have any heels, or do you want to borrow some?”

 Haruhi compromises that she’ll forego tights and cardigan, if they let her wear her flats. They crack open a bottle of wine, which is gone by the time they’ve done her makeup.

“Finished!” Becky beams. “Take a look.”

Haruhi approaches the mirror with some trepidation. She’s relieved to see that she doesn’t look like a doll. She looks mostly like herself, just with a glow to her cheeks and a smudged black outline to her lashlines.  The most noticeable difference is the red lipgloss.

“I’m ready,” she announces, “Let’s do this.” She needs to let off some steam, may as well do it while she’s all dressed up.

 

The place they take her to is busy, but the doorman lets them past the queue with a knowing smile at the two tall American girls. Haruhi follows them inside.  
The music is too loud and the lights too luminescent, but the cocktails they’re buying for her actually taste quite good. Haruhi tries her hardest to relax, but she’s getting the feeling she’s being watched.

“We should go dance now!” The girls tug at her hands. “You’ve had enough drinks, you can’t be shy now.”

“Actually I think I’ll just get some water and sit here a minute.” Haruhi gently shrugs them off. “But you go for it!”  
They head straight onto the floor and are swallowed up by the crowd.

Haruhi takes a seat at the bar, asking for a glass of water. All the while she sips it gratefully, her eyes are scanning the room, unable to shake the feeling of being watched.

There. On the opposite side of the curved bar. A tall, slim young man in a white button-up and leather jacket. He’s wearing glasses and his dark hair makes it hard to see his face, but he’s reminding her so much of-

He’s coming over. She slips off the bar stool and takes a few very deep breaths, then takes a few steps towards him, closing the rest of the distance.

“Haruhi?”

“Kyoya.”

 

_“It’s over, isn’t it?” She says quietly. Voice cracking just the slightest bit.  
The two of them are sat on one of the sofas in Music Room 3. It’s after Kyoya and Tamaki’s final Host Club meeting. They’re graduating. But Kyoya knows that’s not the only thing she’s talking about._

_“It’s for the best.” He nods slowly. “I’m not going to have free time once I’m in Medical School. And there’s still the family business. I won’t really be able to be there for you.”_

_“That’s understandable.” She nods too, gaze fixed on the floor._

_“The arguing has nothing to do with it though,” he promises. “I still care about you just as much as I did when we started this.” He reaches for the side of her face.  
_ _Haruhi flinches away. After a moment, she swallows and says, “I still care about you too. Thank you for everything.”  
_ _And she walks away without looking back at him. He doesn’t get to see her cry; the tears pooling in her eyes and spilling out are not his final merit._

 -

They are sitting at Kyoya’s kitchen table, the heavy presence of a year’s non-contact occupying the space and silence between them. It’s almost painful, but they’re both afraid to speak, both afraid to break the spell.

Haruhi stands, crossing to the kitchen window. “You have a nice view.”

“Cities all look the same to me really.” Kyoya rises too, coming to stand next to her. “Why didn’t you call?”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I needed space.” He fumbles in his pocket for a cigarette and a lighter, not caring that it’s against his contract to smoke inside.

“Same.” She frowns, turning to him. “Why do you do that?”

He shrugs, breathing out smoke. She looks worn, but she’s beautiful.  
Haruhi takes the cigarette from his limp hand and tries it, coughing a little. He lights a second for himself. There is silence for at least five minutes, the weight of everything left unsaid causing dust to fill the air alongside the smoke.

Finally he says it. “I never got over you.”

She turns to him, wide-eyed, and suddenly they are kissing, and they don’t stop, and he is picking her up and placing her on the counter-top, and they are still kissing, fiercely, furiously. Hands roam clothes, venture underneath to goosepimpled skin.  
Kyoya’s hands part her knees and he positions himself in between them, tugging up her dress. Haruhi grabs his wrist. “Do you have protection?” she asks in a whisper.  
He fishes a condom from his pocket and rips it open with his teeth, and then they’re kissing again, desperately now, seeking each other. He thrusts himself into her with a groan and even though that’s not it, it will do for now, and she is clutching at him like she’d never walked away. Her name is falling from his lips onto her shoulder as he nears his peak, and still she clutches tighter, until he comes with a cry and she lets go of him. Panting, they peel away from each other, eyes not meeting.   
Kyoya tosses the condom into the bin and does his jeans back up before lifting her down from the counter-top. She is light, but the air is heavy.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> get ready to be confused about who you ship and who you don't!

A sudden coldness causes Kyoya to wake up, and he opens his eyes to see Haruhi slipping out of his bed. She goes to the mirror and starts combing her hair with her fingers, then notices he’s awake. “I don’t know the protocol for the morning after,” she says apologetically to his reflection.

Kyoya sits up, rubbing his eyes. “Do you not normally stay the night afterwards then? Bit harsh isn’t it?”

She pauses and bites her lip. “There’s been no-one else.” She says quietly. “Since you, I mean.”

He slumps back down against the pillows with a hand over his face. Haruhi turns to give him a confused look.

After a minute, he removes his hand and groans, “Last night was your first time?”  
She nods, and starts looking for her shoes.  
“I’m an arsehole.” Kyoya reaches for his glasses, and then, “You don’t have to try and disappear like it never happened. We can talk more.”

“I have to get going,” she replies. “I’ve got intern applications to send off before my shift.”

He rises from the bed, and picks up a pen and paper, which he holds out to her. “At least write your address down for me. Let me take you to dinner sometime soon.”  
  
“Alright then.” Haruhi smiles, and scribbles down her new flat’s address. “I’m free next Friday.”  
He tears off the piece of paper and tucks it into the pocket of his jeans, before showing her out. He wants to kiss her goodbye but she goes for a quick hug and then is gone. After the front door is closed again, Kyoya aims a vehement kick at it, running his hands through his hair.

 

-

Haruhi isn’t really in the mood to answer her flatmates’ questions. “I just ran into an old friend”, she repeats, and excuses herself to go and shower. Once safely locked in the bathroom and standing under the hot water, she lets her mask slip.

The last year has gone so fast. Running the Host Club, exams, preparing for Law School. Washing glasses at her dad’s bar, housekeeping at his friend’s inn, summer being over before she knew it. The hard work was all worth it; she made it here.  
And the big city isn’t so big after all.

Rinsing the shampoo from her hair, Haruhi ponders the unlikeliness of running into Kyoya like that. _Unluckiness, more like_.  There’s an ache between her legs. Why didn’t she tell him to slow down? To stop? Was she that drunk? No. She was just missing him. She still does.  
Haruhi wraps a towel round herself, wiping her face; damp from more than just shower water. She needs some fresh air. And a friend.

  **Do you have a minute some time today?** She types the text and hits ‘send’.

The reply comes immediately. **At home all day. Drop by whenever. –T**

 

_Haruhi and the twins make their way into the café. Honey and Mori are already there, with their respective little brothers, both apprentice Hosts. Two people are missing- Tamaki, who is spending the first part of his gap year in France with his mother, and Kyoya. Too busy studying, no doubt._

_Honey flies at them the moment they are within eyesight of the table. “It’s so good to see you again! Tell me everything!” He drags Haruhi by the sleeve over to the table, babbling excitedly, and Haruhi takes the spare seat on Mori’s other side._

_He looks down at her. “I heard,” is all he says. Haruhi nods in understanding, swallowing the lump that’s suddenly fighting its way up her throat. She tries to keep her expression happy, for everyone’s sake, but he can obviously see through it and pats her head reassuringly._

_-_

The flat shared by Honey and Mori- Takashi, she corrects herself- is on the opposite side of the city. It’s much cosier than Kyoya’s place, but still neat and ordered. The third occupant is a cockatoo with only one leg.

“I rescued him.” Takashi gestures for her to sit on the squishy sofa, and holds his finger out to the pink and white bird, who hops on and chitters the words _Breaking news, breaking news!_ a few times. “The shop couldn’t sell him so they were just going to put him to sleep. We call him Asuka.”

“Nice to meet you Asuka.” Haruhi extends her hand to the bird, who pecks her curiously, then screeches _Exclusive!_ and returns to his perch to clean his wings.

“Is Honey not in?” asks Haruhi.`

Takashi shakes his head. “Visiting Reika.”

It’s a weird thought, so Haruhi dismisses it. She asks about his life instead, and he talks a surprising amount, and before she knows it she’s spilling out that her boss is horrible but she can’t find a better job, and her dad is constantly trying to guilt-trip her into moving back in, and-  
“-And I ran into Kyoya last night.” She whispers. “It made me realise how much I miss him still.”  
Wordlessly, Takashi extends his arm and pulls her into his shoulder. He’s warm, and she stays there for a while, feeling tears prickling at her eyes. “I feel like such an idiot,” Haruhi confesses into the fabric of his shirt. “I agreed to see him again, but he’s changed so much, how do I know I can trust him? He might well be with someone else by now, and just playing with my head to feel better about himself.”

“Kyoya is still Kyoya.” Takashi pats her head. “Always an ulterior motive. But good at heart.”

“Not as good as you though.” Haruhi straightens up, wiping her eyes, and remembers their last meeting. “Did you ever see that girl again?”

He shakes his head. “I expected it. Father wants me to find someone to settle down with as soon as I’ve completed my studies, but it’s a lot different to hosting. I keep trying though.”

With the air growing heavy, Haruhi quickly changes the subject. Soon, they are lost in nostalgia, reminiscing about the good old times. An hour passes easily, and Haruhi remembers she has to get to work.  
“Thank you for the company,” she smiles, and hugs him as he shows her to the door.

“Any time.” He smiles back.

Haruhi pauses with her hand on his arm. “About the potential wife search. You’re not really trying, are you?”  
He blinks. Haruhi smiles knowingly. “Your apartment only has one bedroom.” With that, she leaves, both of them now deep in thought.

_  
_


	6. Chapter 6

Tamaki is in the music room of the Suoh mansion, working through the Goldberg Variations in his pyjamas, when his phone rings. Sighing, he scoots the piano stool back and reaches for his phone.

“This had better be good Kyoya, I’m in the middle of something.”

“Host hotels.”

“What?”

“I bought a chain of health retreats from my Father.”

“When did you last sleep Kyoya?”

“Not since I saw Haruhi. But never mind that, I-“

 _“What?!”_ Tamaki leaps to his feet and starts sprinting to his room, grabbing the first clothes he can find.

“Not important. Look, I’ve got a fantastic idea. Technically _your_ idea, which is why I want you to be my business partner.” Kyoya is evidently excited, his words coming out fast.

“I’m coming over as quickly as I can. We need to talk.” Tamaki is fumbling for shoes as he speaks.

“I agree.” Kyoya ends the call and awaits his friend’s arrival.

 

Tamaki finds his friend in rather crumpled clothing, hair a mess and a shadow of stubble peppering his jaw. But a wide smile lights up his eyes.

“Business needs to wait,” Tamaki says loudly and immediately. “What’s this about Haruhi?”

Kyoya indicates for him to take a seat at the kitchen table, which is littered with files and pages torn from notebooks. It also holds a full pot of coffee, and Tamaki helps himself gratefully.

Kyoya refills his own cup. “I ran into her a couple of nights ago.” He explains casually. “And we’re going to dinner next Friday. Any questions?”

“Yes!” Tamaki rubs his temples, not having a clue how to interpret this revelation. “What happened? What did you say to each other?”

“We caught on each other’s academic careers and general wellbeing.”

“Was that it?”

“Not as such. But can we talk about my idea now?”

Tamaki sighs heavily. His head is spinning, but he knows that it’s no use pressing Kyoya for more details. “Okay. Fine.”

A folder is pushed in front of him. “I bought up all the stakes in the Ootori spa resort company, while the prices were low. As it is, the chain is moderately profitable, but others have been quick to milk that particular cash cow and now competition is ever increasing. What this chain needs is a unique selling point, a particular twist that will draw the customers back time and again, no matter how many wellness retreats are out there to choose from.”

“I think I’m following so far…” Tamaki flicks through the folder in front of him.

Kyoya smiles again. “Good. So you’ll see where I’m leading towards. My Father’s expansion plans are bog-standard, it’s no surprise that all the backers pulled out. But we have that unique something. We have experience of running a business with a very particular brand of hospitality.”

The penny drops. “You want to start up Host Club hotels?”

“In a nutshell.”

Tamaki takes a large slurp of coffee. “That’s ridiculous.”

“I know.” Kyoya’s glasses are glinting as he nods. “So can I count you in?”

“Absolutely.”

 

-

 

That night, Haruhi spreads out her financial documents on her bed and does some serious thinking. She budgets, re-budgets, runs through a mental list of all her rich highschool friends and ponders which would be the least humiliating to grovel to, wonders if she can sell parts of her body. An hour later, she has a conclusion.  
Everything will be fine for the next two years, providing she can work fifteen hours a week for the duration of that time, both at her current job and at a second. After that, there is a new scholarship she can apply for that will set everything right.

As long as she stays at the top of her classes between now and then.

 

_“I did it!” Haruhi rushes into the room, waving the letter in the air, long hair swinging as she spins around._

_“Did what, honey?” Her father is filing his nails, and looks up with a smile._

_“I got into Ouran Highschool! I start in four weeks!” Haruhi beams at him._

_He looks shocked. “That’s incredible sweetie,” he says after a minute. “Daddy’s so proud of you.” He pulls her in for a hug._

_Haruhi takes a step back and fixes her intense gaze on his face. ”You sound surprised.” She accuses. “You didn’t think I could do it, did you?”_

_“I believed in you, of course I did honey-bun, but those things are so competitive, I didn’t want both of us to get our hopes up too much.”_

_“Hmm.” Haruhi narrows her eyes. “Well, all I have to do is come first in my year at all the tests, and my tuition is paid for. I just need to get the textbooks and the uniform.”_

_Her father looks guilty. “I’m very sorry my little flower, but I’m afraid that’s going to have to wait a while…”_

Haruhi sometimes feels like she was born to be challenged. For the most part, she just wants to keep her head down and have a quiet life. But this particular challenge is one she can’t refuse.

She pulls the newspaper towards her and starts looking for weekend vacancies. “Thirty hours of paid work, twenty hours internship, seventeen hours of class time, thirty-two hours of independent study, and four hours of housework every week.” She says aloud to herself. “I can do this.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's date night! Business and pleasure can be hard to separate.

It’s Friday. It’s seven in the morning. Haruhi is wearing a modest cream-coloured  blouse tucked into a high-waisted, knee-length pencil skirt. She’s also sorely regretting not bringing an umbrella; it’s raining heavily and the bus stop is full of noisy schoolchildren.

“Haruhi!” The window of a passing car rolls down and a pair of violet eyes shine out from a nest of golden waves. The person shouts her name again, and hurriedly calls for the driver to pull over.

“Tamaki?” Haruhi rushes over to the passenger door, which is thrown open. “Where are you going?” Tamaki asks, pulling her into the car.

“Yatsuba-Koboyashi Headquarters”, she says breathlesly, which Tamaki repeats to the driver before throwing his arms around her. “Not too tight! Where are you going this time of morning, anyway?”

Tamaki pulls away and looks slightly sheepish. “There’s a genuine antique harpsichord at the conservatoire. My mother… she works late into the night at this new project of hers. Music education in orphanages. If I get in nice and early, I can play for her over webcam before she goes to sleep.”

Haruhi can’t help but smile at how sweet he is. _But still._

“And you?”

“First day of my new internship.” She says proudly. “Apparently they’ve never taken in a first year before, let alone someone who’s only been at university for five weeks.”

“You’re always a special case, aren’t you?” mumurs Tamaki with a strange expression adorning his features. “Always surpassing everybody else.”

He doesn’t ask her about Kyoya. She doesn’t ask him either. It’s been an unspoken rule of their uneasy friendship for the past year.

In no time at all, the driver is pulling up outside the imposing-looking skyscraper. She thanks Tamaki for the lift, and promises to come to dinner soon.

 

Ten hours later, she finally arrives back in her little flat. Her feet ache, there is coffee down her blouse, and her hands are covered in papercuts- but it is all worth it. She’s been too busy to think about tonight.  
Haruhi freshens up quickly, changing into her other dress. This one is black, with long sleeves made of lace. A gift from the Hitachiins that’s never been worn. Same with the modest patent leather heels and bag that match.  
Without makeup assistants, she doesn’t look as pretty as she did on their night out. But she looks confident and that’s what matters.

Kyoya is waiting outside in a sleek black sports car that looks very new. When he sees her approaching, he gets out and opens the passenger door for her. He looks almost imposingly smart, but Haruhi knows better than to let his handsome businessman act intimidate her.

“I didn’t know you could drive,” she remarks.

“I learnt last year. The car was a present to myself for beating the University’s end-of-year exam records, set by my brother of course.”

Haruhi laughs softly. “I was wrong, you’ve not changed a bit.”

“Neither have you,” he replies, skipping the song on the stereo. The next track is unfamiliar but soft, and Haruhi finds herself surprisingly at ease.

They talk about Haruhi’s internship, Kyoya’s new investments. He explains over dinner that Tamaki is going to help him transform the staff of six countryside health resorts into the perfect hosts, who will be able to charm the guests into oblivion with their company.

‘It sounds absurd,” he admits, “But we made it work in a school environment. Why not in the real world?”

Haruhi is thinking. She’s never known Kyoya fail, no matter how strange his plans. And she certainly needs some security for the future- even if she gets the extra scholarship, what will happen to her Dad if he has to give up work before she’s qualified?  
She takes a sip from her glass- only water tonight- and looks meaningfully at him. “You still have those shares in my name right?”

“Of course.”

“Sell them and invest the money in this new enterprise. All of it.”

“Are you certain?” He looks surprised.

Haruhi is dead set on the idea now. “Yes.”

“Very well.” Kyoya pushes his glasses up his nose. “On one condition. You come home with me to sign the paperwork tonight.”

They both know what he’s asking. _Give me a second chance at the first time._

 

\---

 

“That’s it then.” Kyoya takes the pen from her fingers and takes her hand, shaking it formally. “You’re now a partner in Ootori-Suoh Hospitality Limited.”

“Sure, whatever.” Haruhi rolls her eyes. “Call it what you want, as long as Dad can retire comfortably and won’t make me move back home to look after him.”

“Your futures are safe in my hands.” He smiles.

She looks up and smiles in return, and realizes that his eyes are soft now. That’s him, that’s the boy she fell for.

So she leads him to the bedroom by the hand that is still holding hers.

 

Once the door is closed, Kyoya presses his lips to hers, impossibly softly, taking her face in both hands. When she starts to lean into him, he breaks off the kiss and moves behind her, deftly undoing the dress and slipping it off her shoulders to pool at her feet. The same happens to her plain black bra.  
He circles back to face her again, watching her modest chest rise and fall as she tries to keep her breathing even. He drops to his knees, taking the sides of her knickers with him, lifting one foot then the other and tossing the underwear to one side before standing again. A flush decorates her cheeks as she stands naked before him, looking up at him with her doe-like brown eyes.

He takes both of her hands in his and leads her to his bed, laying her down and kneeling in front of her. “As beautiful as ever,” he sighs.

He takes his time reacquainting himself with her body; he kisses the arches of her feet, the backs of her knees, her wrists, her eyelids. When satisfied, he draws back and begins to remove his own clothing.   
Haruhi sits up to help but he pushes her gently back down against the pillows, placing her hands above her head. “Not this time.”  
She submits.  
When they are both naked, Kyoya reunites their lips and lets his hands wander, using every ounce of inner strength to keep his touch tender, to not leave marks on her pale, silky skin. He traces circles around her areola that close in slowly until he reaches the pert nipples, drawing the first little gasps from her. His hands wrap themselves around her hips, which are a little wider now in relation to her waist, while decorating her throat with butterfly kisses. By the time he parts her thighs, she is quivering in anticipation.

He strokes his fingertips along her slit until she climaxes silently, then sinks down, throwing her legs over his shoulders, and does it all over again with his tongue. This time she threads her fingers into his hair and moans, repeatedly, coming so hard she sees stars for the first time in over a year. In that time, he hasn’t forgotten how she tastes; there have been too many girls in between, but none quite the same, none quite as moreish.

He quickly prepares himself while she is regaining her breath, and then sinks a finger deep inside her without warning. She cries out, arching her back, and reaches for him. A second finger enters her as they kiss, then a third momentarily, before being replaced by his stiff length.

Haruhi lets her eyes close, holding him close as he whispers her name. She gets it now, why people want to do this, and why they call it making love. His movements within her cause another orgasm to build, and when he feels her coming undone around him, he follows swiftly.

It takes a good ten minutes for them both to breathe normally again. Kyoya wraps his body around hers and inhales the scent of her hair, her skin. Haruhi buries her face in his chest.

“Why the hell did I ever let you walk away?” he whispers to no-one.


	8. Chapter 8

_Elephant, elephant  
Your nose is so long_

Honey sings to himself as he skips up the steps to his flat, jangling his keys. _  
_

_Yes, so is my mother’s!_

He feels that the song could do with being a bit longer, but luckily they live on the first floor so he doesn’t have to repeat it before he reaches the front door.

“Takashi, I’m home!”  
Honey bounds inside and peers into the living room. Asuka is pecking at his food, but nobody else is there. After finding the kitchen similarly deserted, Honey knocks on the bedroom door- which is not normally closed. “Takashi? Are you in there?”

“Come on in.” Takashi says quietly. Honey pushes open the door to find his cousin laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. It’s pretty obvious that something is up; Honey knows after twenty years of friendship that the best thing to do in this situation is to wait for Takashi to say something, so he clambers up on to the bed and reaches for the philosophy book on Takashi’s bedside table.  
He’s reading the history of materialism when Takashi breaks the silence.

“I had another failed date today.”

Honey puts the book down and stretches out on his stomach, looking at his cousin. “You didn’t say you were meeting someone.”

Takashi shrugs. “No. Thought it would be best.”

“So what happened?” asks Honey tentatively.

The taller man sighs. “Nothing in common. At all. There’s a difference between comfortable silence and just… silence.”

Honey nods sagely. “It’s not easy to find people you’re compatible with, there are millions of different types of people in the world.”

“You managed.”

The blonde fidgets a little uncomfortably. “That’s a bit different.  We got to know each other, and we grew to care about each other, and- well, she seems like the sort of person I’d want to get married to and stuff. None of it was on purpose.”  
There is a minute of quiet. Honey pulls a face.  
“Are you upset about that again? About me falling in love?”

With a sigh, Takashi rolls over to face his small companion. “It’s not like that. I’m not jealous. I just… I don’t think I _can_ fall in love.”

Honey frowns. “You mean, ever?”

“I care about people. I want to protect them. But I don’t want be like Tamaki was with the girls at school.”

He nods. “Touchy feely, you mean.”

“Mm.”

Honey thinks for a minute and then says quietly, “Me neither.”

“Mm?”

“When I stay at Reiko’s, we cuddle, and I give her a goodnight kiss. But that’s it, nothing else. It’s fun to cook together, and go out and do things in the city, or even just sit and study in the same room. And… I know I love her because I’d be happy to do what we do together for the rest of my life.”

Takashi is deep in thought again. Knowing that it’s time to move on from the conversation, Honey slips off the bed and turns his back, changing into his pyjamas. Silently, Takashi does the same.

“Goodnight, Takashi.” Honey snuggles himself in his own bed, pulling Usa-chan close.

“Goodnight.” Takashi turns out the light and flops back down. Lost in his own head, where the lights are still very much on.

  _Osaka Christmas market is crowded and noisy. Honey is excitedly running this way and that, pulling Haruhi along with him. She made a fuss about the unnecessary trip but it’s obvious that she too is captivated by the magic of it all.  
_ _It’s like having two mice cupped in your hands; he doesn’t want to put them in a cage, he wants to let them have space to play. But it’s not safe, they could run away and be lost forever. If he’s not careful, they’ll get too excited and bite his hands, and he might drop them or crush them.  
_ _"Look Takashi, look what I found!” Honey jumps onto his back, and holds a hand out. Takashi can see a tiny wooden figurine in the boy’s palm, a rabbit holding a wrapped present. “I’m gonna put it under the tree in my bedroom!”  
_ _His eyes move from the figurine to Haruhi. The twins are trying to get her to taste a foul-smelling German sausage. Tamaki leaps in front of her and yells at them, before turning to her and babbling about the romantic view or something.  
_ _Their faces are close and it makes him narrow his eyes, but he doesn’t know why.  
_ _He has to decide what to do with the mice before they decide for themselves._

_-_

 Haruhi creeps across the room, pulling her clothes back on. She doesn’t want to wake him; he looks peaceful when he sleeps, his actual age. But she can’t wait  around, either. It’s almost seven now, and her dad is coming over at ten. Before then she has to do laundry and apply for more jobs.  
Everything located, except her shoes and bag which will be in the hallway, Haruhi finds pen and paper and scribbles a quick note.

  _Kyoya-_

_Didn’t want to make you grumpy by disturbing you. Have to get going, its family visitation day.  
Last night was fantastic, it felt just like old times. Maybe that’s not the worst thing._

_-Haruhi_

 She quietly closes the bedroom door- just as the housekeeper arrives. The stern-looking sixtysomething looks her up and down with eyes as grey as her hair.

“I hope you don’t think you’re special,” she says coldly.  
“Huh?” Haruhi is non-plussed.

The housekeeper sighs. “I said, I hope you don’t think you’re special.” She repeats.

“Excuse me.” Haruhi hurries past her, only putting her shoes on when she reaches the safety of the lobby. She could do without cryptic insults, there’s enough food for thought already on her plate.

The plan was to get home before either of her flatmates are up, so they’d never have to know that she stayed out all night. Unfortunately, they are both in the kitchen in their pyjamas, clutching mugs and looking scared.

“What’s up?” Haruhi asks as she kicks off her shoes and dumps her bag on the counter.

“I woke up to scratching behind the skirting board.” Jessica whispers.

Becky nods. “We think it must be rats.”  
Then they both take in her appearance. And raise their eyebrows.

“What?” Haruhi pops two slices of bread into the toaster, and starts looking for a plate that one of them hasn’t left dirty.

“It’s just…” Becky shrugs. “I didn’t think you were the type to fuck on the first date.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“We just thought you were a prude.” Jessica chips in. “I always thought it was a cultural thing.”

Haruhi turns to face the two girls and glares. “Number one, we were together for a year and a half in high school. It’s not like he was a stranger. And number two-“ she rounds on them- “I’ll sleep with whoever I want. It’s up to me what I do with my body. Judging me won’t bring you any merit.”  
She takes her toast and storms off to her room.

 An hour later, after which time she is still annoyed, there are six completed applications ready to be dropped in to two restaurants, two call centres, a plant nursery and a department store, and her clothes are rattling away in the ancient washer-dryer. Haruhi heads to the bathroom to shower and get ready to see her dad- and hears a scuffling noise.

In the dusty cubbyhole behind the boiler is a small white mouse. She wonders why it isn’t running from her, then sees that it has some kind of injury. The others must have left it behind.

From the kitchen, Haruhi grabs a Tupperware lunchbox and a crumpled magazine, tearing off a few pages to line the box. Then she quietly approaches the boiler, and reaches behind to close her fingers around the mouse. It squeaks and thrashes for a moment, but once closed inside the lunchbox it settles down and begins chewing the paper.

Haruhi can think of someone who will appreciate the company.

 -

 Kyoya wakes from the best night’s sleep he’s had in a long time, to find himself alone. Confused, he reaches for his glasses and his fingers touch Haruhi’s note. He reads it, throws back the covers, reaches for last night’s clothes, goes out onto the balcony, smokes, reads it another seven times.  
Does she regret breaking up? Does she still think of him that way? Would she, if she knew how he’d behaved in those fifteen months in between?

  _Tamaki is preparing to go to France for three months, and is sprawled on his bed surrounded by various travel guides. He looks up, grinning broadly, as Kyoya enters the room and sits down heavily on the other side of the bed._

_“Can you believe it? Our graduation ceremony is tomorrow, and then we’re officially adults!” He jumps on his friend in an excited embrace._

_Kyoya does not flinch. “Haruhi and I broke up.”_

_“What?” Tamaki pulls back to stare in shock. “Why?”_

_“It was only logical.” Kyoya doesn’t look up. “In order to be successful, I have to concentrate on doing the best I can at Medical school, and a teenage romance would just hold me back. There was no point postponing the inevitable.”_

_“So you’re putting your future first? That’s… sensible.” Tamaki admits. “But I thought you were past trying to please everyone else all the time.”_

_Kyoya sighs frustratedly. “Well I’m not allowed to have feelings, am I? There’s a path already laid out for me, and there’s no changing direction just because I’m unhappy.” His voice has risen as he speaks, his face beginning to show anger- but he crumples after a minute, head falling into his hands._

_Tamaki hugs him again, and is murmuring “You did the right thing” but silently wondering if that’s really the case._  
  


The phone rings for only a few seconds before he picks up.  
“Tamaki? Are you free this evening?” Kyoya smiles to himself as he lights another cigarette. “I’d like to call a business meeting.”


	9. Chapter 9

Tamaki is sitting cross-legged on the luxuriously thick rug, surrounded by the pages of scribbled notes and a couple of empty bottles that they’ve produced over the past two hours. “We’re gonna be rich!” He grins excitedly.

“We are rich,” Kyoya reminds him from his sprawled position on the sofa, feet propped on one of its arms. 

“A different kind of rich then. The self-made kind.” Tamaki rereads a bullet-pointed list of things that he’s going to teach the new recruits at what they’ve dubbed ‘Host school’, before reaching for the sake on the coffee table and refilling both their glasses.

“Oh by the way, Haruhi has become a silent partner in the venture.” Says Kyoya midly.

Tamaki sloshes the chilled liquid onto his lap. “Since when?”

“Since our date last night. She’s having some financial troubles and wants to plan for the future. Apparently she believes in us.”

“All the more reason to do our best!” Prodding Kyoya’s feet out of the way, Tamaki sits on the sofa next to him and hands him one of the glasses. “You said it went well, but that’s all. Is money all you think about even on dates?”

“Oh, the business deal had nothing to do with the success of the evening.” Kyoya grins salaciously.

“You didn’t-“ Tamaki’s eyes widen. “You did.”

Kyoya says nothing but his smile broadens.

Tamaki frowns. “Don’t you think that’s a bit… I dunno. Are you getting back together? ‘Cause from here, it looks like you led her on to get your way. Business _and_ pleasure.”

“It’s not like that.” Kyoya removes his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I know I want to try again. But I’m giving her the time and space to decide for herself this time. Even if that means not interfering with whatever financial crisis she’s got herself into-“  
He’s interrupted by his phone ringing. “Hello?” A pause, then, sitting up straight, “Akito. What can I do for you?”

Sensing that the elder Ootori son has something important to say, Tamaki busies himself with finishing his drink.   
“That is correct.” Kyoya is saying. “I’ve taken over four of Father’s business.” He downs his own drink, grimacing a little at the taste. “Actually, as a matter of fact, he asked me to buy them.”

There follows a long, annoyed-sounding speech during which Kyoya rolls his eyes several times, gesturing for Tamaki to fill his glass again. At the end of it, the younger brother clears his throat and replies, “I’m sorry you feel that I’m stepping out of my place. But my place is indeed at the head of a successful corporation. If you really do wish to try and buy me out as a childish act of jealousy, then I’ll add you to the waiting list, but I can assure you that in twelve months’ time when I begin selling, such a move would bankrupt you. Goodbye.” With that he hangs up.

Tamaki bursts out laughing. “You’re a bitch you know,” he giggles.

“No I don’t actually”, Kyoya frowns, and when his friend doesn’t stop laughing, he gives him a shove. “What’s so funny?”

Tamaki clutches his side. “ _T_ _u connais la musique **.**_ But really, I don’t think your brother is the childish one here.”

“Shut up!”

“Make me!”

“Fine.” Kyoya grabs Tamaki by the shoulders and presses a rather violent kiss to his lips, lasting about six seconds.  
When he’s pulled away, both of them become immensely interested in their drinks.

“What was that for?” Tamaki is a little dazed.

“To shut you up. And it worked for-“ Kyoya checks his watch- “At least twenty seconds. Not bad for you.”

Tamaki sets his empty glass down, takes Kyoya’s from his hand, puts that down too.  
Throws himself at his best friend.

Kyoya smirks as his back is pressed against the sofa, Tamaki’s knees either side of his and two hands grabbing at his hair as their lips crash together. He contemplates pushing the blonde to the ground- but although shorter, Tamaki is wider-built- and instead establishes his control by moulding his hands around Tamaki’s hips and prising his lips apart with his tongue.

Both of them are breathing fast into each other’s mouths, tasting sake. It goes on for over a minute this time, heated and hungry, but eventually Tamaki pulls himself back and starts fixing his hair.

“Definitely still straight I’m afraid,” he smiles nervously.

“Of course you are.” Kyoya sits up, reaching for his glasses. “You’re just lonely, that’s all.”

Tamaki’s face drops. “Is it that obvious?” he murmurs.

Kyoya pats him on the back, between the shoulder blades. “ _Tu es mon meilleur ami._ Let’s get some more drinks.”

 -

 Takashi has spent all day at the university’s main library, distracting himself with work. Now he’s quite tired, and is surprised to find the stairs to his apartment blocked by a three-seater patchwork sofa.

“My apologies.” A harassed-looking man steps into the hallway, and Takashi turns to face him. “My name is Yagi. I’m moving in upstairs.”

“Morinozuka.” Takashi extends a hand. “Would you like help?”

“Thank you.” The man nods enthusiastically.

To the shock of the two removals men, Takashi manages to lift the sofa the rest of the way up the stairs by himself. He’s broadened even more recently; Honey is away so much that he has nothing to do except study and work out.

A pair of large brown eyes peer at him from around the door of the newly-occupied apartment, then disappear swiftly. Takashi blinks.

“Oh, that’s my daughter Keiko.” Yagi explains. “She’s very shy, because of her autism. Basically mute, unless there’s an animal in the room, but we lost our cat a few months ago.”

The girl is nervously looking round the door again, showing long straight hair and freckles.

Takashi scratches the back of his neck, feeling a weird heat there. “We have a cockatoo.” He says, also slightly nervous. “And a white mouse. You should come to tea some time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> French translations:
> 
> Tu connais la musique- you know what I mean. (literally 'you know the music')  
> Tu es mon meilleur ami- you're my best friend.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens... like cooling custard. Dessert will be served shortly.

Haruhi has two answer phone messages waiting for her when she comes out of her morning lectures. The first is from the upmarket department store that she applied to, regretfully informing her that the position is no longer vacant. Surprise surprise. The second is from a private number.

  ** _Hello Miss Fujioka, my name is Yumiko, I’m the secretary here at the Okabe Insurance head office. I understand you expressed interest in our sponsored scholarship. Our CEO would like to meet you in person to discuss this further. If you could call back to confirm your availability at five o’clock for an appointment, that would be lovely. Thank you._**

Five o’clock. Haruhi frowns. Her shift at the café is from four until nine. But she can’t afford to pass up the opportunity to talk with the anonymous stranger who might pay her tuition.  
Time to pull her first ever sickie, and cross her fingers that her foul-tempered boss doesn’t catch her out.

At exactly quarter to five, Haruhi presses the intercom for the Okabe office, which is on the fifth floor of a rather shabby-looking building, although the interior is modern and pristine. She’s dressed in her sole formal skirt- pulled out of the laundry hamper and hurriedly ironed- and a lilac satin shirt which actually has the top two buttons missing, but she doesn’t exactly need to worry about her breasts hanging out.  
The secretary smiles toothily when she introduces herself, and tells her to take a seat until Mr Ootori is ready to see her.   
 _Wait what?  
_ There was no name on the website, other than the company. Should she make a run for it? _This fucking family_ , she fumes silently.

“He’s ready now,” interrupts the sickeningly-smiling Yumiko. “First door on the left.”

Haruhi nods her thanks and enters the room. Though she’s only met him twice in person, she instantly recognises Akito Ootori.

“Miss Fujioka, it’s a pleasure.” He stands and extends his hand. If he recognises her, he doesn’t acknowledge so. She decides to play along.

“The pleasure is all mine, Sir.” She shakes his hand firmly before they sit, on opposite sides of an antique mahogany desk.

“This is the first year that the Okabe company has offered the Okabe scheme, to the three most promising law students in Japan.” He explains. “It was implemented by myself when I took over this business, with a view to finding and hand-picking a personal legal advisor from the finest that this country has to offer.”

Haruhi smiles. “I’m not sure if I’d place myself in those ranks Sir, but I certainly intend to within the next twenty-four months.”

Akito folds his fingers together in front of him, flashing a familiar smile. It’s not as friendly as Kyoya’s though- it’s downright evil. “I don’t doubt your intentions, Miss Fujioka, and I admire your ambition. I understand you found your way into Ouran Academy and graduated at the top of every one of your classes, despite being a nobody.”

She doesn’t flinch. She’s used to this by now. “Like you said, my ambition is admirable. I’d go so far as to say inspiring. _Sir.”_ She finishes with over-emphasised politeness.

“You certainly are something.” He smiles coldly again. “No wonder my little brother risked disgracing us all by asking you to marry him. Luckily, our Father talked him out of it, and he’s grown up quite a bit since. No longer interested in wasting his life with commoners.”

Haruhi’s brain starts to spin as though it’s been swept up by a hurricane. _What the hell?_

Akito can read her expression, and his eyes are glinting. “I however, must admit that I’m interested in you. You are smart, incredibly so, but moreover you have an uncanny ability to read people. For example, I imagine you’re currently forming a passionate dislike of me based on my sense of superiority.”

She nods, not trusting herself to speak.

“That is a valuable skill,” he continues, “and combined with your determination, you are everything I need in a legal advisor. I’m willing to pay the entirety of your remaining fees if you agree to work for me.”

This time, Haruhi’s silence is because she has no idea what to say.

“The offer stands thus. I’ll give you time to think about it.” Akito stands, and she does the same. He shakes her hand again. “I look forward to hearing from you, Miss Fujioka. I trust you can see yourself out.”

 

The minute Haruhi is out of the building and sight of its security cameras, she calls Kyoya.

“Haruhi, I’ve been expecting your call.” He greets her.

“You have?”

“Indeed. I assumed you were waiting the customary three days before making contact, it’s what people on dates do.”

Haruhi sighs as she crosses the busy road. “This isn’t to do with that, that has to wait I’m afraid. Since when did your brother own an insurance firm?”

“Huh?” It’s Kyoya’s turn to be surprised.

“I’m applying for a scholarship and I just met the sponsor. It’s Akito. Apparently he’s on the lookout for a personal legal advisor.”

“Well that makes sense.” She can picture him rubbing his thumb across his bottom lip. “Hospital management involves a gratuitous amount of red tape and paper-pushing. I imagine the insurance company is a recent, anonymous acquisition. I can’t think why though. Did you make an arrangement?”

“Not yet”, Haruhi replies, watching the bus pull up. “But he said he’s interested in me.”

“Probably wants to bend you over his desk. I have to say, it’s on my to-do list as well.”

“Kyoya.”

“Sorry.”

Haruhi switches the phone to her other hand so she can show her ticket to the driver as she boards, and manages to find a seat. “Do you trust him? Should I accept?”

“No and yes. I trust my brother as far as I could throw him, and you should trust him less. But working with him will benefit both of us.”

“Both of us?” Haruhi echoes. “What have you got to do with this?”

“You called me and asked my advice. I think the question answers itself.”

She rolls her eyes, not for the first time in the conversation.

Kyoya’s smile is practically audible. “What I mean is, Akito recently expressed a desire to stick his nose into my business affairs. I’m pretty sure he’s up to something, and having a source close to him would be a great asset to me. And the offer speaks for itself, if you took him up on it you wouldn’t have to work any more.”

“I like my job.” Haruhi lies defensively.

“That’s all very well, but _you_ aren’t. You’re even scrawnier than you were in school and you have shadows under your eyes. Besides, you were talking in your sleep on Friday night. _Please don’t, I’ll work harder, just please not that._ ”

She can’t argue, so she’s silent.

“Say yes to him.” Kyoya implores. “I won’t ask anything else of you. I won’t interfere with your business. I won’t even make another move on you unless you specifically tell me you want me to.”

“Okay.” Haruhi sighs. “I’m getting real fed up of your family’s money and influence everywhere I go though.”

“What can I say? An Ootori never leaves a stone unturned.”

She’s getting off the bus now. Her lower lip catches between her teeth before she asks, “Can I see you at the weekend? As friends.”

“Just as friends.” He promises. “I look forward to it.”

Haruhi ends the call and searches in her bag for her keys. It’s obvious that Akito is the sort to lie to get what he wants- the whole family is twisted and cunning. But what if there’s even an ounce of truth in what he said about Kyoya once planning to make her his wife? She’s glad she didn’t ask about it on the phone. But the thought rattles around her brain until the early hours of the morning, while she lies awake and tries to shut it out.


	11. Chapter 11

Tuesday’s shift is unpleasant; Wednesday’s is absolute hell. Haruhi’s boss keeps coming to stand too close to her as she serves, ‘accidentally’ brushing her behind and breathing down her neck. So it’s with great pleasure that she hands him an envelope containing her week’s notice at precisely nine.

“Have a good rest of the week,” she smiles sweetly, and then makes a swift exit.

When she arrives back at her flat, her flatmates are getting ready to go out, and are obviously already quite drunk. Haruhi contributes minimal “mms” and “yeahs” to their excited conversation while she tries to clean the kitchen, until Jessica exclaims, “Oh! I just remembered, some woman came by earlier claiming to be your dad, saying she needed to see you!”

Haruhi drops her dishcloth. “Huh?”

“Apparently it was important. I said if it was that important you’d answer your phone. Your mum is weird.” Giggling.

Haruhi retreats to her room and tries calling her dad. He picks up on the third try. There’s a blur of noise in the background and she can detect straight away from his voice that he’s been drinking.

“I lost my job.” He tells her.

 

-

Kyoya is distinctly unimpressed by the block of flats where Haruhi lives, but not surprised. She answers the door in jeans and a hoodie that are both too big for her, and almost seems to have forgotten he’s coming.

“Hey.” She motions for him to come inside.

“Hey. Are you alright?” He’s noticing that there are dark shadows under her eyes again.

Haruhi leads him to the kitchen and starts making tea. “Yeah, I’m good, just tired out from dealing with Dad. The bar got closed down over some licensing disagreement, and he’s in full moping mode.”

“Ah.” He doesn’t ask if the man has another job lined up, how he’s going to pay the rent. It’s not supposed to be his business.

Haruhi hands him a mug. It has cartoon puppies printed on it. “Good week? My room’s through here, if we stay in the kitchen then my flatmates will probably try and seduce you, and then I’d have to deal with the tears of being rejected once you’ve left.”

“Business is going well and my sister officially announced her pregnancy, so I guess that’s good. Single young women you say? Do you think they’d be interested in Tamaki at all?”

Haruhi sits down in her desk chair, tucking her feet under her knees. “He doesn’t normally need anyone’s help, does he?”

Kyoya stretches himself out on the single bed, noting how uncomfortable it is. “He’s getting lonely. And when he’s lonely he gets needy.”

“Ah.” Haruhi takes a sip of her tea.

“So did you make the call?”

She nods. “We have another meeting on Tuesday.”

“Excellent. I’ll send a car, and have someone go with you just in case.” Kyoya pulls a small device with a length of thin black wire and a clip attached from the pocket of his leather jacket. “I’ll need you to wear this wire every time you see him.”

“Is that really necessary?” Haruhi raises her eyebrows. “I can tell you everything he says.”

“Recorded evidence. And anyway, I know what to listen for.”

She rolls her eyes, but agrees.

The silence that ensues is a little awkward, not because they are awkward, but because he’s seriously regretting promising not to make any moves, and she’s not really sure how to proceed.

“I’ve handed in my notice at work,” she decides to say. “I had an angry phone call from my boss, but I just told him I’d made up my mind.”

“Good.” He props himself up against the headboard. “Not only are your talents wasted on menial behavior, you’re risking your health by overworking yourself.”

Haruhi splutters a little into her mug.

“How much sleep do you average per night?” Kyoya interrogates her.

“Five or six hours I guess? Depends how much reading I have to do.”

“Aside from impacting your memory and concentration, lack of sleep can lead to high blood pressure, as can stress. You’re obviously underweight, which compromises your immune system, and you have no idea what you’re breathing in from customers or on public transport. It also puts you at risk of joint complications. Do you get headaches often?”

Haruhi is looking down at her lap. “Sometimes…”

“When was the last time you had your eyes tested?” He presses.

“I can’t remember.” Haruhi’s face is growing warm under his stare.

“Are your menstrual cycles regular?”

“Thanks for the concern, but you’re not my doctor. I-“ She cuts herself off.

Kyoya has risen from the bed and is now standing behind her, his hands on her shoulders.

“What are you doing?” she asks nervously.

“Tension in the supra-spinatus and infra-spinatus,” he mutters, fingers probing at her muscles. “And your trapezius feels like it’s made of concrete.”

He reaches around and unzips her hoodie, which she shrugs out of without protest, and then begins to apply pressure to her neck and shoulders with his expert fingertips, moving a little way down her back and then up again.

Haruhi closes her eyes, and her breathing slows down. She wouldn’t want to admit it, but her sore muscles are melting under his touch.

“Would it count as interfering if I made you an appointment with my physician? He asks softly.

She sighs. “I suppose not.”

“Good. My optician too.” Kyoya spins the chair round so she’s facing him. Her eyelids are drooping a little.

“You’re tired,” he tells her, “Get some rest.”

She knows there’s no point arguing. He kisses her forehead softly before he leaves.

 

Back home, after a hot shower, he stands in front of the mirror and looks at himself. _Lack of sleep,_ he thinks. _Irritable mood. Frequent headaches. High amounts of screen time. Low amounts of exercise. Regular caffeine consumption. Regular nicotine consumption. Regular alcohol consumption._

He runs his hands through his damp hair. _High blood pressure. Increased heart rate. RSI. Back problems arising from poor posture. Damage to the ocular cells. Early onset of grey hair and wrinkles._

Tosses the towel into a corner. Pulls on his silk pyjama pants. Lies down with a heavy sigh. _Risk of heart attack. Risk of stroke. Tendency for psychological problems. Unsatisfactory relationships. Poor family life. Isolation. Fertility problems. Stomach ulcers._

 _Help me Haruhi_ , he thinks silently into the stillness of his room. _Stop me from turning into my Father._

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't edited this chapter before uploading bc I'm too tired/ill but I want to stick to schedule. apologies for any formatting errors, I don't have enough spoons.

Tamaki barely has a chance to remove his finger from the buzzer when the door flies open and a small figure flies at him. “Tama-chan’s here!”

“Hello Honey-senpai.” Tamaki laughs, struggling to disentangle himself so he can get through the doorway.  
Reiko, Honey’s girlfiend of almost three years, gives him a wave from one sofa. On the other, Mori-senpai is sat next to an unfamiliar girl who looks at him with fear on her face, until he gives her his best princely smile.

“This is Keiko”, says Mori, “She lives upstairs.”

“Pleasure to meet you miss Keiko.” Tamaki curtseys.

She giggles. There is a surprisingly docile white mouse snuffling around on her lap.

“So what did you want to talk about?” Honey drags him to a seat and Reika hands him a teacup and a slice of lemon cake.

“Well.” Tamaki clears his throat. “Kyoya and I are working on a rather novel business idea. Hotels where the guests are treated exactly how our guests at the Host Club were.”

Honey claps excitedly. “That sounds awesome! Doesn’t it Takashi?”

“Mm,” nods the other in agreement.

“So you need to train a whole bunch of people in the art?” Reiko surmises. “I can probably make a spell for mind control-“

“Erm, that won’t be necessary.” Interrupts Tamaki hastily. “I just wanted to get some more input from experienced hosts on what our new recruits will need to learn.”

“Hmm.” Honey kicks his feet and grins. “Well, for starters, cuteness! Unless you’re the serious type like Takashi. Think opposites. That way, everybody will find a strength they can work on.”

Tamaki is taking diligent notes in his glittery-covered notebook. Honey takes a mouthful of cake and continues around it. “Ladies can’t charm the way men do, but they have their own way of doing it. It’s much more subtle, but stronger too I think.”

“Plus we’re prettier,” Reiko winks.

“Hmm.” Tamaki strokes his smooth chin. “It’s certainly true that women are naturals at being friendly. Just look at Haruhi. But my problem lies in those that aren’t musical, can’t speak other languages, and have comparatively average looks. I need every one of the staff to be excellent. Mori-senpai, do you have any ideas?”

“You don’t need to show off to entertain.”

This simple statement blows Tamaki’s mind somewhat; his mouth falls open and he starts scribbling enthusiastically, only looking up when a large cockatoo attempts perch on his shoulder, slides off, and lands in his lap with an alarmed cry of _Read all about it!_

Tamaki is equally alarmed, but everyone else laughs, even Keiko.

 

An hour later, Tamaki has a set of very thorough notes, and has shared all the gossip he’s been burning to tell someone. Making to leave, he pauses to look at the girl now stroking the clumsy bird, and Mori-senpai with a protective hand on her shoulder. He smiles.  
“You like animals then Keiko?” She nods shyly. Tamaki extends his smile. “I have a golden retriever called Antoinette. She gets bored of the grounds quite easily. Perhaps you and Takashi might like to walk her one day?”

Keiko’s face splits into a grin, and she nods again. Mori gives Tamaki a knowing smile.

Honey catches his sleeve as he leaves, closing the door behind them. “I’ve decided, I’m gonna do it!” he whispers, although the hallway is deserted apart from them. “I’m gonna do it at Christmas! I have the ring now and everything!”

“That’s wonderful.” Tamaki gives his friend a hug. “I’m sure you’re going to be happy together.”

 

As he climbs into the waiting limo, he wonders what that feels like.

 

-

 

The doctor tapes a small cotton pad over her fingertip. “Your blood sugar is a little low, are you eating regularly throughout the day?”

“I sometimes forget.” Haruhi mumbles, embarrassed.

“Well I’ll give you some supplements for until you’ve got your strength back up, gained four or five kilos.” He scribbles something down. “Was there anything else Miss Fujioka?”

“Yes actually.” She takes a deep breath. “I’d like to start taking the contraceptive pill.”

“That’s easily done.” He scribbles something else. “Are you married?”

“Engaged.” She lies smoothly. “But we’re putting off starting a family until we’ve both got stable careers.”

“Hmm.” The doctor probably knows she’s not telling the truth, but he’s paid enough to not judge. “Here are your prescriptions. The contraceptive will take two weeks to begin working. If you’re about to become sexually active then you should probably have regular checkups with your gynecologist.”

“Thank you.” _What does one of those even do?_ She thinks as she leaves. But there are more important things to think about; her second meeting with Akito Ootori.

 

_“Haruhi sweetie, sit down a minute.” Her father smiles nervously._

_“What is it Dad?” Haruhi can immediately tell he wants to talk about something._

_“Well…” he shifts uncomfortably. “In many ways, you’ve grown up with me being your mummy as much as your daddy. But there are certain things that you’ve had to deal with yourself, without female guidance.”_

_She resists the urge to roll her eyes, and instead opts for a questioning look._

_“Now that you’re in high school, and you’re dating, it’s even more important to look after your… health. I don’t want you sleeping with boys, but-“_

_“-Dad! We don’t need to have this conversation! I’m not going to get pregnant while I’m in school!”_

_“Let me finish honeybun. You’re strong-willed and sensible, and I know by now that if you’ve got an idea in your head, there’s nothing your old daddy can say or do to get rid of it. I just want you to stay safe. That’s why I think you should have the doctor check you over. They can give you things to… you know. Stop unwanted pregnancies happening. And they can help if you get hurt.”_

_“Get hurt?” Haruhi echoes. “That’s what doctors are for isn’t it?”_

_He fidgets again, then places his hands on her knees. “I mean in the particular way that men sometimes hurt women. I’d love to think that the people you mingle with are better than that. But you can never be sure.”_

_Comprehension dawns on her face as she thinks back to a certain lesson on a certain bed during a certain beach holiday.  
“Nobody’s ever going to hurt me like that.” She grins. “I’d fight them off tooth and nail. If I have to be outside at night, I’ll carry a penknife in my handbag like my Dad taught me.”_

_He smiles too, a little relieved, but still wishing she’d understand her own vulnerability._


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shoutout to Ranunculus for always leaving lovely comments ^.^

**Hold the button down for three seconds to turn it on. Make sure it’s concealed. I’ll be able to hear you but you won’t be able to hear me. Good luck.**

 A minute after the text sends, the receiver unit on his desk crackles to life. Kyoya smiles to himself as he slips the headphones on. He’s had Tamaki go with Haruhi in case anything goes wrong- but of course he doesn’t know that she’s wearing a wire. His mouth is larger than his brain.  
Their small talk on the way to the office is a little stilted, but that’s not important. He only really tunes in when Haruhi says quietly, “I’m going in now.”  
 _Playtime is over now._

 His brother welcomes Haruhi uncharacteristically warmly. “ _I’ve been expecting you.”_

_“Obviously, I made an appointment with your secretary.”_

Kyoya smiles. Same old Haruhi.

_“I assume that you’ve given my offer a great deal of thought.”_

_“I have.”_ She clears her throat, causing a burst of static. “ _And I accept.”_

_“Well, that is pleasant news. What changed your mind, may I ask?”_

_“My… My dad’s been made redundant, and I worry about him. Knowing that I’m financially secure will take pressure off him.”_

_“Loyalty to one’s family is a most admirable quality, Miss Fujioka. Speaking of which-“_ there is a scraping of chairs and a glass clinks- “ _Do you have contact with my baby brother still?_

 _“Not since High School.”_ She replies, without missing a beat. _“I have no idea what he’s up to now.”_ Kyoya wouldn’t have put Haruhi down as a good liar. He could use this knowledge to his advantage no doubt. Assuming she wouldn’t lie to him.

Akito makes a ‘hmm’ noise. _“I recently had word he’s somehow bagged himself the funding to refurbish our family’s health hotel chain and turn it into a string of glorified brothels. I was hoping to find a source close to him, just to keep an eye out you know. He’s inexperienced in the real business world.”  
_ The possibility that Haruhi’s new ‘job’ will involve being a double agent has already occurred to him. But he finds himself hoping it won’t go that far.  
 _Anyway, I digress. These are the terms of our arrangement, thereupon your employment. I’ll give you a moment to read through the contract.”_ There is the sound of paper being slid across a desk, followed by silence for a minute or two.

“ _To summarise, your duties to me will consist of proof-reading any and all correspondence between my desk and customer solicitors or insurance brokers, as well as contracts between the same. I may also need to consult you before making statements to any press or advertising agencies that contact me. It goes without saying that any and all information is completely confidential, and breach of contract will result in heavy penalty as immediate discontinuation of our agreement.”_

But why? Why does he need a legal advisor sworn to secrecy? What are you up to Akito?

He is still speaking. _“I will require your services for one an hour an evening each weekday. As for my end of the bargain, for as long as you work for me, I will personally pay your tuition fees to Ouran University, as well as cover your travel expenses to and from these premises. There’s even a healthcare plan.”_ Kyoya can imagine the smile on his face, and it’s not pleasant.

Haruhi doesn’t seem intimidated. “ _Where do I sign?”_

Good girl, he thinks.

There is a scratching of pen on paper. _“I look forward to working with you Miss Fujioka. Friday is the first of November, so we shall start then.”_

 _“As you wish.”_ There follows the sounds of Haruhi leaving the building and returning to the waiting car.

“ _How did it go?”_ Tamaki asks as soon as the door closes.

 _“It all seemed perfectly routine. But I knew by his face that he’s up to something.”_ She replies.

There is quiet for several minutes, and Kyoya assumes that it’s safe to remove the headphones, until-

_“So are you getting back together? You and Kyoya?”_

_“What?”_

_“Well, are you?”_

Haruhi’s sigh rattles in his ears. _“I don’t know yet. Does it really matter?”_

 _“Well…”_ Tamaki sounds rather strange all of a sudden. _“I thought maybe, once you were both over it…”_

_“Seriously Tamaki, are you still thinking about that? We kissed once. I was happy that you weren’t leaving us. We were all happy. There was nothing else to it.”_

Kyoya gets the feeling that he really shouldn’t be hearing this conversation. But he can’t take the headphones off, can’t even breathe, he’s frozen so still.

 _“It was a long time ago, I know.”_ Tamaki is saying. _“And I’m not… I don’t love you like he did.”_

 _“You never have,”_ Haruhi scoffs. _“You were just in love with the idea of being in love.”_

_“All the same. I just wanted to remind you of what could’ve been. In case you ever have a change of heart. But if it’s still a no, then it’s still a no.”_

_“Kyoya’s right. You don’t know what it means at all to really want someone, you’re just not used to being alone.”_

The rest of the journey passes in silence. Presently, he hears Haruhi step out of the car, and then the device is disconnected.

His phone buzzes.

**Mission accomplished.**

He prowls outside and lights a cigarette before typing his reply.

**A most interesting outcome. Think you might have forgotten I could hear you towards the end though.**

That was petty. But Haruhi’s reply is surprising.

**Nope. Don’t recall saying anything I wouldn’t have wanted you to find out.**

 Most interesting indeed. And whether or not Haruhi is capable of lying to him, he gets the distinct impression that she wouldn’t want to try.


	14. Chapter 14

“What’s that?” Kyoya stares at the fishbowl Fuyumi has just placed on his kitchen table.

“It’s a fishbowl.” She answers.

“Oh.”

“It’s a housewarming gift!” His sister does an excited pirouette, almost tripping over the rug. “I can’t believe you flew the nest already!”

“It’s only temporary accommodation. To be closer to University.”

“Still.” She squeezes him in one of her over-enthusiastic hugs. “It’s good to see you. I’m surprised you’re allowed to live alone though, no bodyguard.”

Kyoya shrugs. “There’s an unwritten understanding that third sons aren’t worth kidnapping because Fathers don’t usually bother paying the ransom.”

“Aw, don’t think like that!” Fuyumi pours them both tea. “So how are you finding second year so far? Any exciting news to tell me?”

“Pretty standard, nothing to report.” He can tell she’s bursting to talk about the lump of cells currently occupying her uterus, so he says, “Congratulations on the news.”

“Thank you! You’re going to be an uncle, how exciting is that?” Fuyumi starts gushing about having the nursery decorated and deciding on names. “And of course, I’m going to need a nanny. I don’t want to go with the family’s usual agency though, I want someone who’s been a real parent in the real world.”

 _Hmm._ “I might know somebody who fits the description, I’ll give you the contact details.” He smiles. “Name of Ranka.”

That’s not technically interfering in Haruhi’s life, it’s doing her father a favour, which is a whole other matter.

His sister rambles on until realizing she’s late for something or other, and makes him promise to come over once the house is done over. He nods politely, and sighs with relief when she’s gone.

 _The real world._ What an intriguing concept.

 

After finishing his latest essay, this time on nutrition and chronic disease, he pulls on his most casual clothes and goes out in search of a pet shop.

 

-

 

“Haruhi?”

“Oh hi Tamaki.” There’s a lot of background noise on her end of the phone, but she sounds pleasant enough.

Tamaki swallows before speaking. “Hey. I hope it’s not a bad time, I just.. I want to say that I’m sorry about what I said in the car the other day. I’ve been thinking about it, and, and- well, I’m a dick really.”

Haruhi lets out the softest hint of a laugh. “Look, I’m at my internship at the minute, how about I come over tonight after work? We can talk more then.”

“Yeah, that’d be great.” He’s relieved to know that she’s not still mad, but now he has something else to fret over for the next few hours.

 -

 

Her first hour at the Okabe office is mostly uneventful. She spends most of it reading through insurance claims that have been disputed in court, small occurrences like mispayments. She learns quickly that the company mostly deals in health insurance, and that it’s quite difficult to successfully find private doctors guilty of any misconduct. Unsurprising. Haruhi is convinced that rich people have their own set of laws.

 

On her way to Tamaki’s, she receives a text from Kyoya.

**Anything to report?**

**Not yet** , she replies. A moment later she arrives at the Suoh Mansion.

Haruhi is shown to a reception room where tea is laid out, Tamaki arriving a minute or two afterwords. He’s covered in dog hair.

“Antoinette got loose in the dining room,” he explains apologetically, seating himself opposite her. “How have you been? We haven’t actually caught up in ages, I started to think you were avoiding me.”

It’s confession time. Haruhi bites her lip. “I sort of planned to move on from everything after I left school. The Host Club was a lot of drama, and I valued the friends I made but I thought we’d all just be going our separate ways.”

“It meant a lot to all of us.” He says quietly. “But we didn’t all see eye to eye a lot of the time. I never mentioned this, but after everyone found out about my stupid crush on you, two different members threatened me.”

“What?” Haruhi is shocked. “Did Kyoya-“

“This was before he realized he cared about you. No, it was Hikaru first, and then Mori.”

It makes sense that Hikaru would have been jealously protective over her, he always was, and irrational to boot. But Takashi? “Surely Mori-senpai knew you’re a good guy, and had everyone’s best interests at heart.”

Tamaki picks golden hairs off his sleeve. “Yeah, but he knew- _knows-_ that I’m stupid.”

“I can’t disagree.” She admits.

“We never really talked about this.” Tamaki is still engrossed in his sleeve. “I was happy when you and my best friend were happy together, but I can’t pretend I wasn’t jealous. You were right though, I was just obsessed with the idea of the perfect romance. I still am.”

And then he is opening up, telling her something she’s pretty sure he’s not told anybody else in Japan.

 

_He’s five when he first meets her. She wears her red hair in two long pigtails tied with ribbons. He asks her name._

_“Lucille.” She smiles shyly._

_“Lucille. I’m Tamaki. Would you like to get married someday?”_

_She blushes. “Alright then.”_

_He’s ten. They’re going to different schools in a short while._

_“Will you still be my best friend?” She asks, tearing up._

_“Of course.” He takes her hands in his. “We’re going to get married some day, remember?”_

_He’s twelve now, and he asks her to come over to play and she says she’s not allowed any more, unless her brother is accompanying her._

_“He’s mean to me though,” Tamaki sulks. “He calls me Halfling and the B-word.”_

_“I know,” she sighs, “But mama and pappy say I’m turning into a lady now.”_

_Fourteen. The last time he’ll see her before he leaves France forever.  
She’s beautiful._

_“You’ll write to me, won’t you Lucille?” he asks anxiously. “And you’ll remember that I love you?”_

_She is smiling at him, the smile that she has reserved especially for him.  
But he never hears from her again._

“I grew up with this fairytale in my head.” He is saying softly. “And I believed that one day, my mother and father would be reunited and could finally marry. I pretended to grow out of it all, but really I clung on to the idea because I wanted everyone to be happy. And happiness means- meant- love.”

There’s quiet for some time after he’s finished speaking. Eventually, Haruhi looks up at him, and him at her.

She stands, and sits down again on the same sofa, next to him.

“You need to stop believing in fairytales now.” Haruhi tells him quietly but firmly. “That’s not what relationships are like. You’ll never find your happily ever after if you expect it- her- to come gift-wrapped with a label and instructions. Stuff just has to happen.”

“Thank you Haruhi, I needed to hear that.” He’s wiping his eyes now, trying to be subtle, but failing.

She catches his wrists in his hands. She knows what he needs.

“Listen.” She begins. “He may not be my happily-ever-after, but I love Kyoya. I’m only doing what I’m about to do because he loves you too, in a different way.”

“What are you- Oh!” Tamaki is cut short by shock as Haruhi pushes him so that he’s lying down on the sofa, with her over him.

Haruhi silences him with a kiss on the lips, and then sits up and removes her top.

Blushing furiously, Tamaki emits a curious squeaking noise.

“Relax. This is a one-time-only deal. You want me to, right?” She asks matter-of-factly, as though she’s offering him tea.

He nods, evidently incredibly flustered- his mouth is hanging open at the sight of her chest.

“Your turn now,” Haruhi smiles, and reaches forward to undo his shirt buttons. With another reassuring smile, she moves her hands a few centimetres lower, undoing his flies. As she works, her fingers make contact with his obvious arousal.

Tamaki’s whole body goes rigid and he fails to repress another squeak, eyes rolling back.

Haruhi frowns. “Did-“   
Comprehension dawns as he draws himself into a ball with his face hidden.  
“Oh.”

“I’d quite like the ground to swallow me up now really,” Tamaki mumbles into his knees.

She pulls her top back on, feeling a little awkward herself. “Don’t fret about it.” She pats his leg.

Tamaki peers out at her. “I know you said it was a one-time-deal, but maybe we could try again in, say, ten minutes?”

“Probably best not.” Haruhi stands, smoothing out the wrinkles in her trousers. “I need to go home now. Goodnight Tamaki, I’m glad that you’ve matured recently. I’d like to be able to properly be friends.”

“Bye,” he mumbles into the sofa cushions, “and… thanks for listening.”

It’s properly dark outside now, but Haruhi doesn’t want to have to wait for a taxi, so she starts walking. And thinking.

The complications with Tamaki had to be worked through somehow; maybe it didn’t go according to any of her various plans, but at least it’s done. She’s never seen him as more than a friend. And she needs all the friends she has right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At first I was a TamaHaru shipper, as the manga seems to want you to be haha, but in all honesty I can't see them working well together. Haruhi's actions might seem OOC, but one of the main points of this series has been her personal growth in terms of love and sex- which you will see more of in the rest of this story- and to me it makes sense that she'd offer to help out a lonely friend, she is the caring sort after all. Sorry to anyone who actually wanted them to go through with it ;P  
> also disclaimer: one-night-stands aren't necessarily the best way to repair a friendship, especially not when you have a complicated history with that person's other best friend. Stay in school kids.


	15. Chapter 15

Public parks in city suburbs are not the most beautiful of places, or the most secluded. Nevertheless, Takashi feels perfectly at ease. Keiko seems oblivious to the strangers around them as she struggles to keep hold of Antoinette’s lead, laughing when the dog drags her at full speed into a pile of leaves that scatter everywhere around them.  
Her face is not sculpted or painted, but when she laughs, she glows, and the air around her seems to take on the same golden warmth. He keeps wanting to reach out and touch it, try and catch it in his palms.

“Tell me more about your friends,” she requests as they rest on a bench, Antoinette leaning exhausted against their legs. He talks more to her than to anyone else, even Mitskuni. Maybe it’s because there’s no obligation to. They don’t converse unless there is something to say, don’t waste words trying to make music when the silence is a song all of its own.

 

_After saying a quick hello to the Kendo and Taekwondo clubs, Takashi makes his way to Music Room 3. The door hasn’t even swung shut before he’s surrounded and embraced from all sides._

_He much prefers visiting outside of club hours- he can be with his friends as they really are, not as their tacky personas. It makes all the difference._

_“Mitskuni is sorry, he got caught up with something.” He says._

_“Someone, more like,” the twins snicker. Tamaki rolls his eyes at them and suggests they go for a walk in the gardens. Kyoya stays put at his desk._

_“Where’s Haruhi?” Takashi asks once they’re outside. The twins exchange weighted glances. “What?”_

_“She went home as soon as she had the chance,” Tamaki whispers. “Kyoya’s under a lot of pressure lately and he’s being all funny towards her. Obviously she doesn’t want to make a scene but I can tell she’s unhappy.”_

_“I’m going to kill him in his sleep,” Hikaru states matter-of-factly._

_“Hikaru!” Kaoru elbows his brother in the ribs. “Knock it off, that’s enough. Let’s concentrate on something else. How is university going, Mori-senpai?”  
He answers in as few words as possible, then allows the others to chatter away while a bird catches his attention in a bush._

 -

 Haruhi has learnt by day seven that her job is boring.

This evening, she’s alone in Akito’s office, and wants to go snooping- but she’s certain that at least one hidden camera is watching her. So she resigns herself to her work, glancing at the clock every now and then- until a certain email makes her sit up straight.  
Something is definitely up. Haruhi rereads the email, and then casually gets up and goes to the filing cabinet, pulling out a selection of cardboard wallets, then returns to the desk and starts sorting out papers and making notes, keeping her bored expression in place.

The instant the company car has dropped her back home however, she abandons the pretence and hotfoots it to Kyoya’s apartment.

“It’s me. I think I’ve found something.” She says into the intercom, and a second later he opens the front door. He’s in his pyjamas with an open bottle in his hand, but she pays no attention, dragging him by his arm to the sofa and pulling him down to sit next to her.

“Does this mean anything to you?” She hands him a scrap of paper.

Kyoya frowns at the list of names. “All these families are valued Ootori clients. Patients, rather.”

“As I thought.” Haruhi nods to herself. “Akito’s selling bogus health insurance to his own patients.”

 


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FLUFF!

“No,” she says firmly, for the fifth time, “I’m not going to do anything until I can find a way to bring some evidence. If you raid the office then it’s going to be obvious I blabbed, and it’s goodbye tuition, and probably goodbye to my favourite limbs.”

“I can keep you safe.” Kyoya tells her. “And I can take care of your fees as well as you.”

“You can’t even take care of yourself,” Haruhi retorts. “Why are you drinking alone?”

He smoothly avoids the question. “I can take care of two goldfish. I named them Oiwa and Lemon.”

Haruhi snorts.

“What? We were told the story to emphasise the importance of staying in arranged marriages or something, and I think the husband was actually Ieomon, but anyway I rather liked it.”

“Arranged marriages can be happy,” says Haruhi absently, picking up his lighter from the table and playing with it. “I heard about your sister.”

“And then there’s my Father, who’s had more mistresses than I’ve had birthdays.” Kyoya stands. “I’m getting another drink, do you want one?”

“No.”

When he comes back into the room, Haruhi’s outer clothes are folded neatly into a pile next to the bed and she is curled up under the covers. He abandons the beer and climbs in next to her. They look at each other, not touching.

“Dad’s excited about getting a new job.” She tells him. “All he’s talking about now is babies. It’s driving me nuts but I’m glad he’s happy.”

“Speaking of which, Tamaki seems a lot happier all of a sudden. He says you two had a bit of a heart-to-heart. What did you do?”

“Nothing that you wouldn’t.” Haruhi smiles through her yawn.

There is quiet. But this time it’s a comfortable quiet, familiar. “Can I come closer?” he asks tentatively, as though it’s not his bed.

She nods. He wraps his arms around her, and she closes her eyes contentedly. Kyoya does the same. “Sleep here,” he says quietly. “Your flat is cold and damp, and your mattress is a pile of crap. Not good for you.”

“Yes doctor,” she murmurs.

“Now that’s a whole other scenario.”

They both laugh. It feels good.

He goes to place a kiss to her forehead, but she moves and captures his mouth with hers. Her hand rests on his neck, gently stroking his hair, his ear, the bone protruding from his clavicle.

It doesn’t go any further this time. It doesn’t have to. Just being close is enough.

 

They’re woken by a crash of thunder; or rather, Haruhi is woken by it, and Kyoya is woken by her sitting bolt upright with a gasp.  
He brushes the back of his hand over her exposed shoulder. “You’re not still scared are you?” He mumbles lazily. “You’re not alone.”

Haruhi is shaking slightly. “I usually am.”

The words hurt. Not an insult, but the realization that he hasn’t been there for her cuts deep. Kyoya extracts himself from the warmth of the bed and shrugs on his bathrobe, then holds out his hand to Haruhi. “Come with me.”

She looks concerned, but slips her legs down the side of the bed and stands, holding the duvet close around her. Kyoya rearranges it to cover her shoulders, then steers her over to the balcony door. Before her surprised yelp has finished sounding, they are outside.

“I can’t,” Haruhi whispers, but he presses her to take a step forward and wraps his arms around her from behind. The city before them is illuminated by electricity; sheets of rain are visible against the backdrop of streetlamps and flashes of lightning. With every rumble of thunder and whistle of wind, the noise of traffic becomes indistinct, meaningless. Water is dripping from the corrugated metal above their heads, landing on the slate sill on which Haruhi is leaning. He imagines her body heat as a force field of some kind, invisible but growing strong. _A little storm won’t hurt you._

He fetches two cigarettes and a lighter from inside, then rests his elbows on the wall next to her. She stares unblinkingly forward as they watch the night.  
Kyoya takes a drag and exhales slowly before he speaks. “Those months without you were hell. I kept reliving it, wishing I’d told you then that it wasn’t your fault.” Breathe in. “That I was being cold to make you think I wasn’t worth your time, so it’d be easier for you to move on.” Breathe out. Poisonous smoke and regrets blowing away in the wind, after so long filling his lungs until he chokes. “I’m a coward. I’ve always been a complete fucking coward. I did what I was told. Except I didn’t even break up with you, I just made you leave of your own accord. Waited for you to realise you deserve better.” Breathe. Breathe.

Haruhi flicks ash from the end of her cigarette. “I never blamed you.” is the only thing she says. Her eyes are too intense, too bright and deep and too many colours mixing together.  
From the balcony, the sprawl of the city could be the day’s clothing thrown carelessly to the floor, or wine spilled on the carpet. Their hands are both cold when they meet. The duvet starts to fall from around her and Kyoya catches it, wrapping it tight around her. Finished, cigarette butts are carelessly discarded. He leans forward. She stretches up on tiptoes. They kiss.

Haruhi is shivering when they break away. “Let’s go back to bed.” He murmurs, pulling her inside and shutting out the storm. _Let’s go back to how we were._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story of Oiwa and Iemon: The two married young and Oiwa soon fell pregnant. They were poor but happy- until Iemon met a rich girl called Oume. He tried to poison Oiwa so he would be free to marry Oume, but Oiwa survived, athough she lost the baby and became horribly disfigured. Iemon tried to kill her again and, thinking he'd succeeded, planned to marry Oume, but Oiwa turned up at the wedding and attacked him. There are various versions but basically she got her revenge in the end. This is a popular Japanese ghost story, but imagine small children reading it in their English lessons- which would account for the confusion between 'I' and 'L' on which I based my lil pun.
> 
> This was probably my favourite chapter to write. My whole idea of Kyoya and Haruhi started with a thunderstorm and him comforting her, and ending up confessing his feelings for her. This time round though, she's facing the storm and he's next to her- rather than a naive fifteen year old, she's now a young woman, and they're now equals. I would say to reread 'Particularly Special' for comparison purposes, but I've already become embarrassed by it ;P


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sexy time! bc let's face it I will go down with this ship in all it's explicit glory...  
> also, expect a cameo from another of your favourite hosts ;)

“Where are we going?” Haruhi asks. Kyoya is pulling her impatiently down to the underground car park. She wasn’t expecting him to have woken up first, much less to have found him impatiently jangling his car keys as soon as she’d had a quick shower.

“We’re stopping by your flat so you can change, then we’re going for brunch and a business meeting.” Kyoya flashes a dangerous grin as he opens the passenger door. “And then we’re going back to bed for some other, rather important business.”

 -

One of the hotels that they now own is only around half an hour’s drive away from the city. It’s here that they meet Tamaki, who is flying excitedly from room to room checking out the new décor. Even Haruhi, who doesn’t have much appreciation for interior design, is a little impressed. Each communal area has its own theme, all reminiscent of Host Club events, but a little more tasteful.

“And the uniforms, oh I can’t wait until they’re actually made! Everything is so beautiful!” The effervescent blonde tries to keep talking while eating a croissant, and starts to choke. Kyoya punches him in the small of the back.

“How have you got to work so fast, when you’re so busy?” Haruhi asks of them both.

“Well,” smiles Kyoya, leaving a red-faced Tamaki to gulp down water, “We’ve had an overseas design team overhaul the existing infrastructure, based on photos and utilizing virtual conferences. In fact-“ he types something on his ever-present laptop- “they’re supposed to be present at this meeting, but only fifty percent of them are awake.”

He turns the screen round, showing a video call to a familiar face framed by bright ginger hair. Haruhi’s face splits into a wide grin.

“Kaoru! You guys didn’t say you were involved in this too!”

  _It’s become a regular occurrence now. Kaoru designing everything and Kyoya sourcing and renting the costumes and props- it used to be both twins, but Hikaru doesn’t trust the Ootori anywhere near as much as his brother does. It’s evident why.  
_ _The two of them are busy at work in the otherwise empty music room, Kaoru arranging flowers and decorations while Kyoya takes notes and accounts for costs._

_“I’m gay.” Says Kaoru suddenly._

_The other boy doesn’t react. “Should I be surprised? Because I can’t say I am.” The eyes behind the glasses really are omniscient then._

_“Well, I feel like Hikaru knows. We know everything about each other. But I haven’t actually told anyone yet. Except you.” Kaoru keeps his eyes on the gypsophilia he’s trimming. “But… I’m telling the whole family tonight and… I’m scared.”_

_Kyoya looks unconcerned. “There’s no need to be.”_

_“How would you know? You’re straight.”_

_“That’s awfully presumptuous of you.” Kyoya starts inspecting the ‘safari’ props and ticking things off his checklist._

_“Well aren’t you?” Kaoru demands._

_He shrugs. “I’m with Haruhi, there’s no need to complicate it further than that. But you really do have nothing to worry about.” He looks up from his clipboard to find Kaoru looking at him with his mouth slightly open. “You are lucky enough, my friend, to have a family that supports everything you do. There’s no reason for them not to support everything you are, too.”_

_It’s that particular brand of unsympathetic wisdom that Kaoru knows he needs to push him out of his shell. Out of the shadows._

-

The housekeepers have been, as per his instructions, so the oven timer is set for dinner and the table laid. But Kyoya leads her past the kitchen and into the bedroom, sitting them down on the edge of the bed.

“Now then”, he murmurs, caressing her cheek. “I’d like to request a progress report on the rekindling of this relationship.”

Haruhi leans into his touch. “Well, I’m pleased to announce that all aspects appear to have more pros than cons. In fact-“ her hand is on his thigh- “I personally am ready for full investment.”

“I agree.” He takes off his glasses. “I feel that this partnership is most profitable, and I’m of the opinion that it needs to be consummated immediately.”

With that, all pretense is over, and he pushes her onto her back with a forceful kiss.

It doesn’t take long for breath to start catching in throats and clothes to start coming off. After her t-shirt is flung across the room, Haruhi places a hand against Kyoya’s chest to halt him. “I have an idea. Lie down.”

His curiosity gets the better of his controlling side, and he complies. Haruhi kneels over him, smiling a little nervously- and then her lips are at his throat.

He makes to hold her waist in encouragement, but realizes that her hands are pressing down on his upper arms, effectively pinning him in place. _What?_ Teeth are now grazing his neck, his ear, his shoulder.

She’s rough for such a small, shy thing, sucking and nipping at his exposed skin while her body hovers just out of reach above him, enticing and infuriating. He tries to buck his hips into hers, but she giggles and shifts further away, now starting to assault his bare chest with slow, sharp kisses. Her nails drag down his skin as she moves lower.  
The feeling of her small tongue flicking lightly over his right nipple is one he couldn’t have prepared himself for, and he grits his teeth while she does the same to the left.

“Haruhi, you’re teasing me,” he growls menacingly. “I don’t like being teased.”

She laughs against his chest, now kissing down to his stomach, finding sensitive spots just below his bottom ribs that she runs her tongue over, before continuing down.  
Her weight isn’t pressed into his arms anymore, but Kyoya is kept in place by shock as her lips brush the small gap between his navel and belt buckle.

“ _Please_ ”, he finds himself whispering, and groans with relief when her fingers loosen the confines of his clothing against his straining arousal. He wants to encourage her, to lie back and let the sensation of her overtake him.

That will not do.

Kyoya pushes himself up suddenly, grabbing Haruhi by the waist and practically throwing her back down. She’s smirking, knowing she’s got to him, but the smirk is quickly wiped off her face when he pushes her legs apart to rest between them and clamps his mouth onto her neck.  
She whimpers. He pulls away to examine the mark he’s just left, then growls low in her ear. “I’m going to make you pay for that little experiment of yours.”

He tears impatiently at her jeans, kicking off his own, hungry hands gripping at her hips as he grinds himself into her. Bruising her neck again with his hot, wet mouth.  
Haruhi’s breathing is ragged, her legs wrapping around him and squeezing tight. He remembers exactly how to make her come undone, how to claim her as _his_. His teeth pull the cup of her bra to one side, closing around the stiffened nipple as he sucks hard. She squirms beneath him.

“Not so calm and confident now, are we?”

Pushing himself away a few inches, he cups his hand over her crotch. Warm. Fingers push inconsequential fabric aside to delve into her wetness, deep. She moans as he flexes inside her, his free hand snaking to her chest, his mouth assaulting the expanse of flesh that rises and falls as her breaths hitch- kissing at first, but then pinching with his teeth and smoothing over with his tongue.

Her hips are moving against his hand now. She’s soaking. He brings his thumb to her clit, _finally_ , no build-up, immediate pressure. Smirking at her gasp.

“Kyoya,” she pants, “I’m getting close.” The way she winces at the furious pleasure, it’s delicious. He brings his face level with hers again, wrapping his fingers round her jaw and forcing her to look at him.

“Say you’re mine,” he growls, “Say it and then come for me.”

“I’m yours, I’m yours, I’m-“ her desperate whine is cut off by the combination of third finger plunging into her and the sharp pain inflicted by his teeth at the base of her throat, pushing her over the edge. _“Fuck,”_ she breathes.

He moans into the hollow of her throat as he feels her come, drenching the hand at her core, squirming as he brands her skin again.  
Haruhi collapses against the mattress, gasping for breath. Kyoya sits back on his knees, taking in the sight, licking her pearly fluid lazily from his fingers.

“You’d better get your breath back quickly,” he smirks at her. “Because we’re not done. Not by any means.”

 


	18. Chapter 18

_“Mrs Hitachiin?” The psychiatrist peers around his office door. “May I speak with you in private for a minute?”_

_She casts her eye over to her five year old sons. The nanny is here, as well as the receptionist behind the desk, so it’s probably safe to leave them. She steps into the office.  
The man offers her a seat before retaking his own, and begins shuffling papers on his desk. “I’ll keep this brief, I know you are a busy woman.” He smiles. “My own observations have proven consistent with those of the rest of my team. Your boys are certainly very interesting. Now, the decision to pursue a formal diagnosis is entirely yours, so I shan’t pass the files on without your consent, but it is our belief that Hikaru has Asperger’s Syndrome, and quite possibly some form of Attention Defecit Disorder.”_

_“What does that mean? He’s not abnormal is he? Either of them?”_

_The psychiatrist smiles encouragingly. “There’s no reason that Hikaru cannot have a normal childhood, although there is an increased likelihood of behavioural and concentration problems at school, and I’ve already noticed that he has a quick temper. Kaoru on the other hand-“ he steeples his fingers and looks at her over the top of his glasses- “does not show signs of any disorder. What he does do is mimic his brother’s actions. Mrs Hitachiin, have you considered having the boys tutored separately? Whilst their unusually close bond is a good sign, Kaoru may not be able to exert positive influence over his brother’s behavior. On the contrary, he may come to find his own development held back, perhaps significantly.”_

_“So what you’re saying is… one of my sons is normal, and the other isn’t, and I should treat them differently because of it.”_

_“Well, not in those exact words, but-“_

_“Thank you for your time, I shall be leaving now.” The chair almost tips over backwards as she stands. “I won’t be requiring your services any longer.”_

_-_

“I have to get going too,” Tamaki is saying, “I’m meeting Father soon.”

“Then I declare this meeting adjourned. Bye Tono!” Kaoru waves once more as the call ends, then closes the laptop lid and spins round on his desk chair a few times before wheeling over to the sofa and prodding his brother, who has fallen asleep there.

“Huh?” Hikaru opens one golden eye first, then the other. “What time is it?”

“Not quite ten, but you’re obviously tired, so just go to bed anyway.” Kaoru fixes his brother with a concerned look. “Is everything alright Hikaru? You don’t seem yourself recently, I think you’re stretching yourself too far.”

His twin sits up and rubs his eyes. “I’m only doing as much as you.” He answers evasively. “You need an early night too.”

“I guess so.” The brothers share their customary goodnight hug before heading into their separate rooms. Kaoru wonders whether to mention that Haruhi and Kyoya seem to be close again, wonders what to make of it.

 

-

“So, tell me my son, what is this project that you’ve been working so hard on?”

Tamaki grins. “Well Father, you remember the club we had in high school?”

He explains the six luxury hotels with their spas, special menus and sports facilities, and the new additions of themed entertaining areas, fairytale gardens, traditional ballrooms, and of course hosts. “There are all sorts of settings, both historical and make-believe, and the guests come for their health but also for the company, for the chance to be treated like true royalty and escape reality for a bit. And I’m proud of what we’re doing!” He finishes.

There is a pause, and then, “So am I.”

“Really?” Tamaki’s face lights up.

“This is the first time you’ve had some grand vision and not let young Ootori do all the work. We were starting to worry about your… capabilities. But maybe there is a business head on your shoulders after all.”

“Thank you Father.” Tamaki nods enthusiastically. “I can be businesslike, really I can. And I can work hard. It just has to be something I’m passionate about.”

“There’s no harm in that,” the Suoh patriarch smiles. “Run along now, I shall see you at dinner.”

Tamaki can’t help but feel somewhat smug- he’s grown used to subtle digs at his choice of study, as though he’s wasting his time, but he’s a businessman now too. An entrepreneur. He may struggle to please his Grandmother with her stoic, antiquated sensibilities, but Tamaki has vision. Passion. He will make them all proud.  
He flops down at his desk, and notices a letter. Airmail. Curious. He opens it, and as he reads his lower jaw falls, and his hands start to shake.

  _My dearest Tamaki  
_ _I hope this letter finds you well. It’s been a very long five years since I last saw you. I have so much to tell you! How I wish I could see your face right now…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I was only going to have any Hitachiin in the story as a quick cameo, but then this happened oops. I'd be interested in opinions of my headcanons about Hikaru being on the autistic spectrum, feel free to agree/bash me in the comments


	19. Chapter 19

_“So the game works like this.” Hikaru is refilling the six glasses with strong red wine that went ‘missing’ from the cellar recently._

_“Each of us takes it in turn to say something we’ve never done. The rest of us have to take a nice big sip if we’ve committed that particular sin.” Kaoru places an almost-empty bottle of gin in the middle of the table. “And whoever has finished their drink first… has to finish this in one go.”_

_“Also, if you’re the only one to drink or not drink, you have to spill. And then we play Final Fantasy.” Finishes Hikaru._

_Tamaki is eyeing the gin nervously. “I didn’t think you were meant to drink those sort of things straight.”_

_Both twins give him a condescending pat on the head before resuming their seats. “I’ll start, with an easy one.” Kaoru says. “Never have I kissed a girl.”  
He is the only one to not drink. With a shrug, he deflects their stares. “I’ve never wanted to, okay?”_

_“Whatever.” Hikaru rolls his eyes. “Never have I kissed a boy.”_  
Three of them drink; Tamaki, Kyoya, Kaoru.  
Honey giggles into his sleeve but doesn’t comment. “Never have I… done anything illegal!”  


_Both twins catch the other’s eye and snort as they drink.  
Mori’s turn. “Never have I wet myself in public.”_

_“You bastard!” Honey scowls as he drinks. “I was nine, okay? Martial arts fair, I couldn’t find the toilet because I was too short to read the map.”_

_“Well at least you’re catching up now.” Kyoya runs his thumb over his lower lip. “Never have I cheated on a test.”_

_“That’s too tame!” whine the twins as they drink.  
“Do your worst then Daddy.” Kyoya pokes Tamaki in the shoulder._

_“Okay. Never have I ever… fooled around with anyone.”_

_Three drinkers. Hikaru, Kyoya, Mori.  
Kaoru examines everybody’s glasses for a moment. “Me again? Hmm. Never have I fooled around with anyone… on school property.”  
_ _Kyoya shows no humility as he drinks._

_“Story!” demand Hikaru and Tamaki simultaneously._

_"I’m not sure you want to know it really. But Haruhi’s prudishness is more of an act than you realise. And so is her stubbornness actually.” He leans back with his hands behind his head, enjoying the shocked looks coming his way.  
Hikaru clears his throat. He’s eyeing Kyoya almost threateningly when he states, “Never have I had sex with anyone.” But the sole drinker this time is Mori._

_Four mouths fall open, while Honey smiles knowingly. Mori looks unconcerned.  
_ _“Who?” The twins chorus._

_“American exchange student in my philosophy class.” Is all he says._

_"What was it like?” Tamaki whispers._

_“Boring.” Mori shrugs. “Mitskuni, I believe it’s your turn.”_

_Honey is grinning again. “Never have I been caught reading dirty manga.”  
This time all six of them drink. Kyoya’s glass is empty when he places it back on the table._

_“Well gentlemen, this is a somewhat enlightening experience.” He reaches for the bottle in the middle of the table._

-

 “Sir?” Haruhi bites her lip. “May I ask you something?”

Akito Ootori looks up from his screen at her. “You may.”

She fidgets a bit. At Kyoya’s insistence, she’s wearing the wire, but this is the first time that Akito’s actually been with her while she’s working. “I have here a correspondence from one Ms Myami Azuma regarding ‘settlements’ dated just today, but according to the database her insurance contract was terminated six months ago with no claims filed. Do you think the records are wrong?”

Her boss seems to think for a moment, before saying, “Take a seat Haruhi.”

Surprised at the sudden arrival of being on first-name terms, she is even more surprised at the question he directs to her.  
“Do you think rich people are bad people?”

Immediately she pictures the hardhead Yakuza descendants from school. Newspaper stories of large corporations avoiding taxes and defrauding consumers. Celebrities competing to ruin each other’s private lives. Greed and vanity manifesting in people she considered friends.  
Then she thinks of lawyers. Doctors. Those who use their wealth and skills to help others. Charity donations. Banks lending money to struggling small business, schools, community centres. Businessmen trying to secure futures for their children.

“I don’t know.” She answers truthfully. If there’s one thing she learnt at school, it’s that generosity is seldom altruistic. There are always hidden motives. Merits.

“That’s the correct answer.” Akito leans back in his chair, contemplating her as though she’s the last piece of unagi on a buffet table- but several hours into the party. “The client in question wished to make a small claim some time ago, which we agreed wasn’t worth filing, given the hours and expenditures associated with processing the case. Valuing her custom, I arranged appropriate compensation from the offending party without the need to involve any actual legal representatives. Such an action has a bit of a grey legal status. But I saved her a substantial amount of time and expenses. Would you say I did wrong, Haruhi?”

“No sir.” Is what she says aloud. But inwardly, she is memorizing the contact details of the woman. And picturing the eavesdropping Kyoya getting steadily more infuriated over the course of the conversation.

“And also, what happened to your neck?”

“Nothing, sir.” Haruhi deftly repositions her collar. _Oops. Worth it though._

 

He texts her the moment she leaves the building of course, asking to be filled in on this woman’s claim, but she tells him to be patient. She has an idea, and she doesn’t need anyone else interfering just yet.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haruhi uses the skills she perfected as a Host to find out the truth about Akito Ootori's shady actions.

“Ms Azuma?” Haruhi smiles as the door is opened for her. “Haruhi Fujioka. It is a pleasure to meet you in person.”

The woman behind the desk is in her early thirties, red hair piled in a complicated top-knot. The hand that she offers boasts three heavily jeweled rings. Instead of shaking, Haruhi takes the outstretched hand in both of hers and bends to kiss it. Then she treats the woman to a dazzling smile.

“That’s all, thank you.” The woman dismisses the servant, before gesturing at the seat opposite. “Please.”

“How kind of you.” Haruhi sits down in the chair, her posture mirroring that of the woman. “As I explained to you, I am the junior manager of internal enquiries at the Ootori group. I understand that you were recently the victim of potential misconduct by one or more of our associates. I am very sorry to hear that, and shall take great pains to ensure the matter is dealt with. Could you please tell me what happened?”

 She’s wearing her smart black trousers, and the bra beneath her shirt is non-padded. Nothing about her screams masculine, but nothing says feminine either- the kind of ambiguity that works so well when deceiving someone. And it’s definitely been a while since she practiced this type of deception, but she’s still good. And she has to be- her target is an affluent journalist, not the sort to be easily swayed.

 _Step one. Appear androgynous. Let the lady interpret you the way she wants to._  
Step two. Charm her. Show her that you are her ally.  
Step three. Speak softly but confidently. Don’t be authoritative, but be cool and direct about your lie.

 Myami Azuma reclines a little in her chair, folding her hands into her lap. “Well, about a year ago I was booked into the Yokohama Herald Hospital to remove a small growth from my larynx. Of course I chose an Ootori hospital, they’re the best you know.”

Haruhi smiles, nodding politely. _And Yokahama is managed by Akito._  
“The operation was a success, no complications, and the growth turned out to be benign.” The woman continues. “Anyway, I was promised that my health insurance provider would cover the cost of the treatment and the hospital stay, so I thought nothing of it.”

“I’m very glad to hear you are recovered fully Ms Azuma. May I call you Myami?” _Step four. Give her your very best smile and establish a more informal connection._

“You may, my dear.”

“Well then Myami, although it may not be relevant, I like to have all the details; who is your insurance provider?”

“Okabe. Or it was at the time. Then they upped and informed me that since the operation was to remove non-cancerous growth, it had been deemed cosmetic and so wasn’t covered by the policy, so I decided not to renew my insurance with them.”

“I see.” _More than you realise Ms Azumi._ “And how does this relate to the difficulties you experienced with my clients?”

She examines her perfect nails, sighing. “After failing to recover the costs, the hospital tried to sue me for late payment. I had of course paid in full myself, and so it was a simple matter to settle, but I still keep receiving legal threats. It’s such a dreadful bother.”

Haruhi thinks on her feet. This woman’s contract began before Akito Ootori took over the Okabe company, and there were no problems before then. It was only after his takeover that insurance policies- such as this woman’s- started to contain loopholes that meant not having to pay out. And if all of the claimants were Ootori patients, then the deception has two different faces. Two different parties both securing a profit.  
Both under the control of one man.  
“I’m very sorry to hear that you are being harassed,” she says earnestly. “I would like to take a statement from you, and copies of all evidence you have.”

At this, Ms Azumi looks uncomfortable. “Well you see-“ she shifts in her chair- “Somebody already did that three months ago. But then I was approached by a media company looking to get a scoop on one of the Ootori sons, and the next thing you know his lawyer is sitting in that very chair you occupy right now, offering to deal with the matter personally as long as I don’t tell anybody about the legal threats.”

Two and two. Four.  
There was no third party in this. Azumi’s own newspaper must have been snooping into the goings-on.  
Haruhi clears her throat. “Myami, do you happen to know who owns Okabe insurance?”

“I’ve no idea.” But she’s looking to one side again.  
_Step five. Go in for the kill._  
Haruhi rises and walks slowly around the desk, placing her hands on the arm rests of the woman’s chair when she reaches it. She leans close, so that her lips and nose almost brush the side of the journalist’s face.  
“You are smart as well as beautiful, so I think you do know. Ms Azumi, is Akito Ootori paying you for your silence?”


	21. Chapter 21

Hikaru wakes up to a thumping sound, followed a giggle and a “shh!” Frowning, he drags himself out of bed and leans around his door, pushing the switch on the wall.  
Light fills the hallway. Kaoru is stifling another giggle with a slightly clumsy hand, black silk shirt half-untucked from lilac skinny jeans and hair a mess.

“Hikaru!” he whispers loudly. “I’m sorry, we didn’t mean to wake you! Oh, this is William by the way.”

Behind his obviously rather drunk twin is a tall, muscular young man sporting what Hikaru immediately decides is a horrible vintage trenchcoat.   
“Right.” He scowls. “You two have fun. Just do it quietly.”  
They don’t.

 

The next morning, Hikaru is still scowling as he flicks through the news app on his phone when Kaoru appears wearing only boxers. The younger twin yawns, stretches, and rummages for a box of cereal before noticing.  
“Hey, what’s up? Still mad about me waking you up?”

Hikaru rolls his eyes. “It’s not that. But if you don’t know, then I’m not going to tell you.”  
Kaoru slips onto the other stool, leans both elbows on the breakfast bar, and starts chewing dry cereal out of the box. After a minute of irritating crunching, he pokes his brother’s cheek with one manicured finger.  
“C’mon. You’re not acting yourself. Spit it out.”

“I just…” Hikaru takes the cereal box from his brother and pulls out a handful of his own. “You know I don’t like it when you go off to strange places. You don’t know what might happen.”

Kaoru sighs. “I’m not a child Hikaru. I know that you care about me. But…”  
Hikaru is busy arranging several pieces of cereal in size order. Kaoru stills him by placing his own hand on his brother’s wrist. “Last night was the first time I’ve ever been with a guy. Can’t you be happy for me?”

Making a face again, Hikaru pulls away from the touch. “Can’t be that good, if you had to be drunk for it.”

With another sigh, Kaoru stands and runs both hands through his hair, which stands on end. “If you have a problem, just come out with it.”

“I don’t need to _come out_ with anything! Do you think I’m jealous, is that it? Or do you think I’m homophobic?”

“I don’t know, are you?”

“No.” Hikaru says very quietly. “I just can’t stand the thought of someone taking advantage of you. It’s all new to you, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”  
Wordlessly, Kaoru crosses round the breakfast bar to stand behind his brother, wrapping his arms around the elder’s shoulders. They stay like that for several long minutes.  
“Your breath smells.” Hikaru mumbles, embarrassed at how emotional he became.

“I did literally suck a dick last night.”

“Grooooooss!” He throws his brother off and blows a raspberry. Kaoru responds by grabbing a handful of cereal and stuffing it down the back of Hikaru’s shirt.  
They are laughing together again, like old times. Before their world was prised open from the outside and filled with too many strangers. Before they ran away to a different country to try and start again.

 

_“Where’s Hikaru going Mumma?”_

_“Well sweetie, you know how your brother gets angry when he’s confused a lot? Well, there’s a special man here to see him, a cross between a teacher and a doctor, to help him understand things.”_

_“Oh. Can I have ice cream?”_

_“When they’re finished. We can all have some together, in the garden.”_

_Kaoru obediently waits outside the closed playroom door for the next hour, drawing a family portrait which he proudly shows off while their Mother serves up ice cream sundaes for being ‘good boys.’_

_“I thought maybe you could put this on the fridge”, he tugs on her sleeve._

_“But you’ve drawn yourselves sad! Why’s that?”_

_Kaoru points to the crayon figures as he explains. “You and daddy are happy because you have everything you want and you know we love you. But Hikaru is sad because he doesn’t like the special man and would rather spend time with me instead. And I’m sad because Hikaru is sad.”_

_“That’s right Mumma!” Hikaru beams through a mouthful of dessert. “Kaoru always knows what I’m thinking, before I even say it! Isn’t he clever?”  
She smiles, but the hand that grips the tub of rainbow sprinkles is white-knuckled and shaking slightly._

-

“Mommy?” the voice on the phone is quiet and high-pitched. “ _Es-tu libre? J’ai le cafard…”_

“What is it Tamaki?” It’s three in the morning and Kyoya is trying to remember the distinctive properties of each of the five different types of white blood cell in preparation for a test that afternoon. He doesn’t really have the time or patience for bullshit.

“ _Je besoin d'un moment._ Please, it won’t take long.” He sniffs.

Kyoya sighs and sets down his pen. “Alright, I’m listening. Tell me what’s up.”

Tamaki sniffs again, as though he’s been crying. “I had a friend, back in France, and I grew to love her. But once I moved to Japan I thought I’d lost her forever. I thought she didn’t want to know me. Then I got a letter from her at the weekend, and… she’s engaged. Which means she’s allowed to talk to me now.”

“So?”

“So, all this time I thought I’d been forgotten, and it turns out she was forbidden to have contact with me!” Tamaki’s voice is beginning to crack. “Because I’m a bastard! _Suis-je vraiment que sales, m_ _éprisé si?_ Am I that untouchable that any girl who knows my secret has to be guarded to stop me tainting her reputation or something?"

“Calm down. Your syntax is dreadful. In both languages.” Kyoya glances at the clock, then at his revision notes. He’s probably not going to get much more done anyway. “You’re at home right? Would you like me to come and get you?”

“ _Ouis_ , Mommy _._ _S'il vous plaît_. _”_

“Fine. Just stop calling me that.” Kyoya ends the call and stands, stretching. He rubs his aching temples for a moment before locating shoes and car keys.  
‘The cockroach’ indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> French translations;
> 
> Es-tu libre?- Are you free?  
> J’ai le cafard- I'm feeling down (literally, 'I have the cockroach')  
> Je besoin d'un moment- I only need a minute  
> Suis-je vraiment que sales, méprisé si?- Am I really that dirty, so despised?


	22. Chapter 22

The two of them relax on the red velvet sofa; Reiko sitting cross legged and leaning back, Honey curled up next to her with his head on her knee. She toys with strands of his hair while they watch a hoard of wailing zombies stagger across the screen in search of flesh.  
“You’re getting better,” Reika smiles and pats his head, “You don’t turn away anymore.”

Honey makes a “pfft” noise. “Zombies are a weak enemy. They don’t have the foresight or co-ordination to defend themselves. I could take down every one of them.”

“Sure you could. When you’d finished crying.”

“Hey!” Honey sits up to face her, sticking his tongue out. “I’m a real man you know!”

“Sure you are.” She pulls him into her lap again. “I know you’ll protect me when the apocalypse comes.”

  _It’s their one year anniversary as a couple. After dinner at the creepy-old-castle-turned-hotel, they went out to watch a play about witchcraft, and are now heading back to their lodgings. Honey sneaks kisses to her flushed cheeks whenever the taxi driver is concentrating on the road._

_Reiko is smiling but quieter than usual, and a bit jumpy. Once they are back in their room, she makes to undress._

_“What are you doing?” Honey is confused. They’re very private people, always changing in the bathroom._

_“It’s our anniversary,” she reminds him, and lets her dress fall to the floor. Underneath she is a little pale and shaky. “Special occasion.”_  
Aware of Honey’s wide eyes taking all of her in, she slips self-consciously into the bed and sits against the headboard, covering her chest with the duvet.  
Honey is non-plussed. He stays standing where he is.  
“Come and join me.” Reiko holds out her hand.

_Slowly, as though measuring his steps, he crosses to the other side of the bed and perches himself on top of the covers, keeping a polite distance as he inspects her face._

_“Don’t you want my body?” She bites her lip._

_At this, he leans over and kisses her, gently but passionately. When he pulls away, he smiles slightly sadly and shakes his head. “That’s irrelevant right now, because if you wanted to give it to me then you wouldn’t look so worried and be trying to cover yourself.”_

_Reiko averts her eyes. “I thought… you booked a hotel room for us.”_

_“To spend time together.” Honey touches his small hand to her cheek so she looks at him, and then wraps his arms tightly around her. “I wasn’t expecting anything from you, anything at all. If we take things to the next level, it’s because both of us want to, and only then. Okay?”_

_“Okay.”_

_She realizes she is crying now, feeling relief as salty wet blobs drip from her face onto Honey’s shoulder. He uses his sleeve to mop her cheeks and then says, “I’ll get our pyjamas from the suitcase.”_

_That night, they sleep closely entwined, Reiko comforted by the feeling of Honey curling protectively around her, despite being too short to be a proper big spoon. After that, they remain pure, but start being comfortable enough to change in front of each other._

 

Now they’re kissing, chaste and sweet at first, but gradually growing bolder, deeper. Honey cups her face in both hands and eases her lips apart with his tongue, which she meets with her own-  
The alarm on Honey’s phone interrupts with an incessant beeping. He sighs and removes himself from her lap. “That means I have to go or I’ll miss the last bus. And I have an early start tomorrow I’m afraid.”

“Why don’t you use your family’s driver? Or get one of your own?” Reiko stands and smooths down her long black skirt.

“You know I don’t like using my parents’ money. And I’m saving all mine.” Honey envelopes her in one last hug. “For our cottage in the countryside with the big fireplace and the rose garden. And the two black cats.”

“I remember.” Reiko sees him out and then resumes her place on the sofa, staring at the still-paused movie, feeling a warmth travelling from her still-tingling lips down into her chest.

 When Honey lets himself into the apartment, he is greeted by the sight of Takashi and Keiko asleep under the patchwork crocheted throw. His limp hand is covering hers protectively.

“Silly Takashi,” Honey whispers, smiling widely. “Of course you can love, in your own way.” He tucks the throw over his cousin’s exposed feet and turns out the light before creeping to the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

 -

Haruhi barely slept last night, so she should be tired now, but as she burrows into her uncomfortable bed, the events of her little mission are still playing on her mind.  
She’s caught Akito red-handed. Setting up customers of his insurance firm so that they’ll have to pay out of their own pockets into the already overflowing Ootori pot. There is enough evidence to expose him. But then it’s goodbye tuition, and her future as a lawyer will rest entirely on the fate of Kyoya and Tamaki’s preposterous business plans.

And she kissed a woman. A real woman with curves and long hair and plump lips, who wore perfume and jewelry and high heels. A woman she was using for information, but who was soft and inviting.  
Haruhi punches her pillow. Everything is fast becoming a game, a series of calculated movements designed to give her the upper hand. Her friends are chess pieces, her benefactors are a deck of cards. There is no room for emotional attachment to any one of them if she’s going to win. But there’s no merit in manipulation or sacrifice.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family dinner :P

Kyoya leaves Tamaki sleeping and heads off to his classes; he hasn’t slept at all, but it’s not the first time. He still aces the blood cell test.  
When he returns to his apartment a few hours later, he is greeted by a strong smell of garlic.  
“You’re home!” Tamaki flies at him holding a very large knife, which narrowly misses his ear as he is pulled into a hug.

“Fantastic observation there.” Kyoya wriggles out of the blonde’s death-grip. “What are you doing?”

“I’m cooking!” beams Tamaki. “Chicken Dijon. Like my Mother used to make. As a thank you for being such a good friend.”

The kitchen is a bomb site but the meal isn’t bad at all, apart from what Kyoya suspects is several times the recommended amount of garlic. He listens to Tamaki prattle excitedly about his finalized plans for Operation Dream Team, or “Host School” as they renamed it. The blonde really is hard to keep up with; one wouldn’t think to look at his enthusiastic grin that he’d been sobbing into his friend’s chest in the small hours of that morning over the curse of illegitimacy and the price he’d forever have to pay.

  _"But even after that, I can’t hate my own Father. I resent him like hell, but I can’t hate bring myself to hate him!” He wipes his eyes and nose, both of which are red and swollen._

_“I know how you feel.” Kyoya passes him more tissues and closes his eyes. “I hate what mine has done too, but I can’t hate him either.”_

_The silence stretches for some time now, and slowly Tamaki’s sniffs and hiccups turn into steady breathing. Kyoya peels off his damp t-shirt and lies back, throwing the covers over them both._

_If only it was that easy. But family is family._

 

The buzzing of the intercom interrupts his musings. It’s Haruhi. When he opens the door, they silently evaluate each other’s exhausted faces before Tamaki jumps on her. “Haruhi’s come to family dinner! How wonderful!”  
Haruhi throws a bemused look at Kyoya as she is dragged into the kitchen. Kyoya shakes his head and raises his eyebrows.

“We have so much to talk about!” Tamaki is exclaiming as he serves her a large helping of pungent garlic chicken. “Next weekend is the first Host School, you’re coming with us right? You won’t want to miss it. I’m going to be an incredible teacher, I just know it. And Lucille is coming to Japan at the end of the month!” He sighs dramatically. _“Amour beacoup.”_

“You’re doing it again, please try and stick to one language at a time.” Haruhi massages her forehead. “I have news too. I know exactly what Akito is doing and now I have evidence.”

Kyoya drops his fork onto his plate with a loud clatter. “What? How?” He demands.

“I have my ways.” Haruhi tosses the folder she’s been clutching down onto the table. “I have statements from victims of exploitation, details of unauthorized transactions between his two business, and records of cover-up negotiations. At the very least, we’re looking at deliberate misleading of customers, at the most we’re looking at full-on fraud.”

“Thank you Haruhi. This is most enlightening.” Kyoya’s eyes widen as he reads through the report. “I shan’t need you to work for my brother anymore.”

“Shall I tell him we’re going to expose him, or just disappear? Because he’s going to know I’m involved somehow.”

He fixes her with a patient but condescending stare, like she’s a slow child. “Haruhi, we’re not going to the press with this. Do you think my family needs any more negative publicity, really?”

“Then what the hell did I lie for?” Haruhi’s cheeks flush and the chair scrapes loudly as she gets to her feet. “I went undercover doing your dirty work, knowing I’d be in actual danger if I got caught, and all for you to have something to gloat about in private?”

“It’s not like that. Please sit down.” He extends a hand to touch hers, and she relents a little.

Tamaki, who has suddenly become very interested in his plate, has a loud coughing fit.

 

Haruhi is placated by the time she leaves. But she still feels used. _Stupid rich people. They don’t give a damn about sticking to the rules, as long as they win._

On top of that, she’s worried about Tamaki. It took the idiot years to come to terms with separation from this girl. And out the blue, even after visiting France, he only now gets granted the opportunity to see her again. In all honesty, she doesn’t think he’ll be able to handle it. But there’s no way he’ll want to stay away.  
Too wired to sleep, she mentally calculates the current time in Canada. Mid-morning, and it’s a weekday, so the twins will be at college. Her only other friends are a twenty minute walk away.

 

“I’m sorry for turning up unannounced so late”, she smiles awkwardly as Honey opens the door. “I just needed a friend, one that isn’t constantly plotting or getting themselves into trouble.”

“You’re always welcome here Haru-chan! I’m watching a documentary about rescue animals, you can rewind it while I make tea.”

Haruhi settles herself on the sofa, pulling Usa-chan onto her lap. The cockatoo is sleeping for once, so it’s quieter than usual.  
“No Takashi?” she calls to the kitchen.

“Nope, not tonight.” Honey replies as he brings through a tray of tea and snacks. “He spends a lot of time with Keiko-chan now, the girl from upstairs.”

“Oh.”

 


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're about to find out a little about why Kyoya and Haruhi broke up...

Yoshio Ootori scrutinizes his youngest son, who is sitting quite comfortably across from him with something of a smile. “Kyoya my boy, you still look like an overgrown little girl. Why don’t you grow some facial hair or something?”  
Kyoya’s smile slips but he doesn’t rise to the jibe.  
Yoshio leans back in his expensive desk chair. “I am incredibly impressed though. How on earth did you break into the Western market with the vitamin supplements? After just one month?”

“You shouldn’t underestimate me Father. After all, I am your son.”

“Spoken like a true Ootori. And the resorts?”

Kyoya leans forward, smiling again. “Scheduled to be opened at Christmas, with a whole new image. A focus on satisfaction as well as physical health. Something equally important to one’s wellbeing, am I right?”

“Hmm.” His Father strokes his chin. “I don’t understand your methods, so it wouldn’t be fair for me to disapprove of them. But I come from the old school of businessmen, and our ways are tried and tested. Speaking of which-“ he fixes his son with a pointed stare- “I believe I might have negotiated a marriage for your elder brother. A French health food tycoon is looking to go international, and I like his style as much as I like his produce. He has a daughter around your own age, I’ve only seen her picture once but I’m certain that Akito will approve of her.”

“Oh really?” Kyoya’s glasses flash as he smirks. “But will her family approve of yours?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” His Father glares. “The Ootori group is at the forefront of-“

“Akito is using legal loopholes and vulnerable patients to generate profit. Such unlawful behavior would be quite a tarnish to the esteemed Ootori name, don’t you think?”

Yoshio sits upright. “Just what are you playing at?”

“I’ve seen the evidence for myself. It’s quite damning really. Surely you don’t approve of my dear brother’s methods any more than you do mine? But I daresay you understand them perfectly, and have simply chosen to turn a blind eye. Unfortunately-“ Kyoya’s smirk widens and he cocks one eyebrow- “I don’t believe any of our associates would do the same. Or the victims. Or the media.” With this, he resumes leaning back in his seat with crossed arms.

The patriarch wipes a bead of sweat from his forehead and seems to choose his words carefully before responding. “Let us not play games then. What is it you want?”

Kyoya’s gaze has turned steely cold. “I want my ring back.”

 

_They’re sitting in the same seats in the same office, sharing the same distrustful stare.  
“I called you here because you are nearly eighteen now.” His Father is saying. “Which means it is time to think about your future, in more ways than one.”_

_“I’ve already applied to University Father.”_

_“That’s not what I mean.” The man steeples his fingers. “It is not my way to force any of my children into partnerships. But such matches are entirely subject to my approval, and so I consider it my duty as your Father to make suggestions. Have you given any consideration to your fellow pupil Renge Houshakuji?”_

_Kyoya scowls. “She’s insufferable. And she kisses like a fish.”_

_“I’m not asking you to kiss her, I’m asking you to marry her.”_

_“I am well aware of the process of producing an heir Father, and I seem to recall that kissing is one of the initial steps.”_

_“Ah yes, I forgot that you know everything. But consider your practice period over now.” He pushes his glasses up his nose. “I’ve allowed you to date this Fujioka girl as it hasn’t affected your dedication to your studies. But there is no merit in a future with her.”_

_“And what makes you so convinced that I believe otherwise?”_

_“This.” Yoshio opens his top desk drawer- guarded by a fingerprint scanner- and holds up a purple velvet box in his palm._

_Kyoya’s hands turn to fists. “Where did you get that?”_

_“I had your room searched after a comment made by one of your brothers.” He smiles coldly. “I assure you that Miss Fujioka is never going to wear this.”_

_“Give it back, it’s mine!” Kyoya shouts, jumping to his feet, but his Father drops the ring box carelessly back into the drawer and slams it shut._

_“You will not drag my name through the mud Kyoya. It’s time to grow up now.”_

_Kyoya emits a wordless cry and kicks his chair over. It knocks over the drinks cabinet, and crystal glasses crack as they roll across the polished wood floor. He picks one up, throwing it at the wall, beads of blood appearing across his hand. Yoshio turns with a silent nod to Tachibana, who has been observing from the corner the entire time._  
Wordlessly, the bodyguard picks up the senseless boy and throws his thin frame over his shoulder. Once deposited on his own sofa, Kyoya goes limp and starts to leak silent tears.  
Tachibana stands over him, pity in his eyes as he reaches for his hand-held radio. “Yes, it’s me. Please bring a first aid kit. And some white tea. With plenty of whiskey in it.”

The stillness lasts a minute, maybe two, but could easily have stretched for an hour.  
Yoshio breaks a slight smile as he touches the scanner and unlocks the drawer, reaching for the confiscated ring box. “It has always been your choice to make,” he says quietly, reaching out his hand.

Kyoya takes the box, checks the contents are still there, pockets it, stands to leave. “Actually,” he says as he turns to go, “I think you’ll find the choice is hers.”

 


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter alludes to attempted sexual assault of a minor. There won't be anything graphic but if you're triggered, skip the flashback (italics). I will mark any future references too.

_“We could do it tomorrow.” Hikaru whispers._

_“Huh?”_

_“Well our parents are away and nobody else can tell us apart. So we could swap places tomorrow. You go to see doctor Bando and I’ll stay with the nanny.”_

_Kaoru grins. “Okay. Let’s do it tomorrow.”_

_The following afternoon, Hikaru keeps smiling as he remembers their deception, while the clueless nanny watches over him until it’s time to see the doctor out. As soon as they’re alone, he grabs Kaoru by the sleeve and says excitedly, “So? Is he as weird as I said he is? And he did he notice?”_

_Kaoru shakes his head. “He didn’t notice. He just said, ‘you’re being a really good boy today. I think you’re ready to play the special game now’.”_

_“He told me there was a special game we might get to play!” Hikaru’s eyes widen. “What was it?”_

_His twin shrugs. “He started taking off his trousers, but then nanny knocked and said the hour was up. He put them back on again and reminded me that the special game is a secret.”_

_Hikaru frowns. “He really is strange. I don’t want to play the special game. Maybe I should keep being naughty.”_

The brothers work on different designs, but they share a studio. It’s here that Kaoru finds Hikaru.  
“Hikaru, I want you to meet someone.” The guy from the other night steps into the space, smiling politely. At least he doesn’t have his horrible coat now. “I mean, you’ve met him before, but properly now. William, this is Hikaru. Hikaru, William.”

They shake hands formally. William has a strong Canadian accent but is genuinely excited at all the half-finished showpieces on display, and Hikaru feels himself thawing a little towards the stranger.

After showing him out, Kaoru turns to Hikaru with a wide smile. “We like each other. Quite a lot.”

“I’m happy for you.” Hikaru returns the smile. “Just look out for yourself, if you’re not gonna let me do it for you.”

“Of course I will!” Kaoru pats his brother’s arm, and then turns to the mannequin Hikaru has been dressing all this time. “This sweater is incredible. Is it unisex? I know, let’s get Haruhi to wear it when we see her!”

“Yeah, maybe.” He smiles again, although it’s a slight effort. _If only I hadn’t persuaded you to go in my place. If only I hadn’t let you play the game._

 

- 

“I need to speak to you Sir.” Haruhi doesn’t wait for his invitation, but seats herself opposite him.

Akito looks up over the top of his newspaper. “Is something the matter?”

“Yes.” Haruhi takes a deep breath. “I’m very sorry Akito-senpai, but I can’t work for you anymore. Not right now, at least. My father needs me at home as much as possible.”

“I see.” He stands, pacing slowly around the desk until he is right in front of her. “I believe that you are still familiar with the terms of our agreement?”

“Yes sir.” Haruhi wants to look away from his gaze, but she holds it defiantly. “But I’m afraid family always comes first.”

“Quite right.” Now he is bending forwards, examining her face. She doesn’t flinch. Not even when five fingertips land on her face and curl around her chin.

“You’ve placed me in a very difficult position, Miss Fujioka. The subjects of your work here are incredibly private.” His fingertips drag downwards. Her throat. The top button of her shirt. “But then again, you’re going to owe me a lot of money if you terminate our pretty little contract.” Lower again. The top of her bra. The clip of the hidden microphone nestled against her chest.

Haruhi gets to her feet abruptly. “Don’t worry _sir_ , I’m entirely aware of the financial ramifications of breaching a contract. And I don’t doubt that you will be soon. Have a nice weekend, it’s been a pleasure to work for you.” With that she is gone, striding as fast as her short legs will allow away from the office and down into the street, into the waiting car.

“What did he do you?” Kyoya demands as he starts the engine. “Did he try and touch you?”

“Never mind.” Haruhi clips in her seatbelt and kicks off her shoes. “Let’s get out of here.”


	26. Chapter 26

It’s dark when they reach the hotel. Kyoya tells her to get some rest while he catches up on work, but Haruhi has no desire to sleep. Instead she finally replies to her Father’s increasingly hysterical emails, then tries to distract herself with a book, but there is too much noise in her head.

The conversation with Akito from earlier. Reprimands from her supervisor at her internship for being too tired to focus, also from today. Mundane arguments with her flatmates about the washing up. Memories of Tamaki talking about Lucille. Memories of her mother singing her to sleep-

Haruhi throws off the covers, shaking the memories out, and pads over to the opposite side of the spacious hotel room. Kyoya is seated at the table in the corner, engrossed in his laptop screen.  
She leans against his back and slips her arms over his shoulders. “Come to bed,” she murmurs.

Kyoya sighs without looking up, one hand reaching to cover both of hers against his chest while the other continues scrolling through a spreadsheet. “I’d love to, believe me. But I still have lots to do.”

“You tell me off for working too hard.” Haruhi presses butterfly kisses to the back of his neck. He stiffens. She disentangles her hands from his and begins rubbing soothing circles over his shoulders.

“And I’m quite right. You should be resting.” Kyoya turns his head to one side, brushing the back of her right hand with his lips before returning his gaze to the screen. “I however should be working.”

Haruhi scowls for a moment, before reaching over him to close the laptop lid.  
“What are you- Ah…”

Before he can finish his sentence, her knees are on either side of his hips and she is kissing softly at his throat as she straddles him. He closes his eyes and tilts his head back as he sighs. “It can wait”, Haruhi tells him. Her fingers fumble at the buttons below her; he helps before letting his hands start to roam beneath her nightshirt. Their lips meet at last, hungry yet soft- but he pulls away when he realizes how she’s positioned herself.

“Haruhi, I need-“

“It’s fine.” Her hands rest on his collar to steady herself. “I’m on the pill now.” She seeks his mouth again, impatient to join their bodies together.

It’s not exactly pleasurable without being warmed up by his touch first, but it’s what she wants; he cradles her in his lap as she rocks gently, resting his forehead against hers in between kisses, the breath of each of his sighs warm against her skin. Bodies say what mouths can’t or won’t; _I don’t care what else is going on, I need you now._

His head drops onto her shoulder and she buries her fingers in his hair, urging him towards climax. A moment later, he shudders and exhales, clutching tighter at her. The feeling of his satisfaction quells her own needs as they hold one another. It’s a moment she’d be content to pause and enjoy for hours- but she’s suddenly aware of the unpleasant stickiness between her legs.

“I need to go clean up,” she apologises, and practically runs to the bathroom to shower.

When she emerges a few minutes later, Kyoya is changed into his pyjama pants and waiting on the edge of the bed for her. He reaches for her, pulling the towel from round her body and drying her off.  
“You didn’t come,” he murmers as he wipes moisture from her shoulders. Haruhi shrugs.   
He slips his discarded t-shirt over her frame and pulls her into bed.  
“I’m sorry, Haruhi. I know you risked a lot, and I haven’t exactly repaid you well. But you’re more important than silly family feuds or a bit of extra cash. Much more.”

His tone is sincere, and she finds herself burrowing into his warm embrace. This time, they stay there a while, until Haruhi breaks the peace.

“The woman who made the statement. Azumi. I sort of seduced her a bit.” She mumbles into his chest.

“Hmm?” The hand that’s been stroking her hair stills. Haruhi sits up, expecting to see jealousy, but Kyoya’s face is littered only with curiosity.

“Just kissing. But I thought I should tell you, since we’re technically in a relationship again now.”

“I don’t own you. Not yet, at least.” Kyoya cocks one eyebrow. “Did you like it?”

Haruhi can feel herself blushing. “A little bit, yeah.”

“Hmm.” His fingers are tracing small circles on her exposed thigh. “I very much like calling you mine, but it wouldn’t be fair to stand in the way of your self-discovery.”

She lies back down, pressing her back to his chest. “When did you lose it? And who with?” She can’t help but ask.

“Are you sure you want to know that?”

“Yeah.”

His sigh tickles the back of her neck. “Only a month after we broke up… Renge. I guess we were what you’d call fuck buddies for a short while, but I never cared for her. And since then, never the same person twice. Until you.”

The knowledge brings a sour taste to her mouth, but she swallows it back down. People do things without thinking, that’s just humanity.

Kyoya’s hand is dancing over her hip, starting off the sequence that makes her lose control of her own body. “You were a first of your own kind,” he murmurs, now dragging one finger along the seam of her thighs, from her knees upward; pressed together at first, but opening under his touch like a flower coming into bloom under the sun.

“You don’t have to…” she trails off when she feels him brush her growing arousal.

“I want to,” Kyoya presses kisses to her neck and shoulder in between words, “I want to pleasure you.”

She stretches languidly, rolling over to look at him with a smile. “Stop talking then, and do it with your tongue.”

“As if you have to ask,” he grins, shifting down the bed and pulling her hips to meet him.

It’s really not a big deal, Haruhi thinks as her hands close in to fists around the bedsheets, who and what other people like to do with their free time. Even before she started to try it for herself, it always seemed a waste of time to worry about the names and histories of people or the shapes of their bodies. There’s Kaoru, now openly gay, and that doesn’t hurt anybody does it? Neither does Takashi’s apparent disinterest in all of it- although this new neighbor she heard about might have changed that all of a sudden?

She interrupts her own internal monologue to exhale a groan as Kyoya begins to lavish attention on her internal and external pleasure points at the same time. Coherent thought disperses under the rhythm of his suckling kisses and curling fingers.  A familiar ache is spreading through her torso to her extremities, a feeling that anyone could feel under the touch of any age or gender- but for her it’s always been him, only him, not just because he is here now, but he’s the only one that’s ever been-

“ _Yes,”_ she breathes, toes curling as she finds her release, “ _That’s it, yes.”_ He drags it out for as long as he can, keeping his pace slow so that her peaks lasts for almost a full minute, before resurfacing with a satisfied smirk.

“Better?”

She wipes moisture from his lip with her thumb as he lies down next to her with one arm draped lazily over her waist.

“Very much so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Compare this, if you will, to the first time they had sex. To Haruhi, it's still a physical manifestation of her emotional want/need for Kyoya above her enjoyment of the act itself (PIV tends to be less stimulating than hands/mouth), but she's no longer passive and shy- she's learnt that she has control over her own pleasure, and doesn't have to be embarrassed about initiating or making requests.  
> He has a dominant nature- slightly possessive in fact- but I think Kyoya would be ok with Haruhi trying it with a woman, as long as he knows that she still loves him, and he's satisfying all her needs. She'd probably be the same about him experimenting with another guy *cough*tamaki*cough*- I don't see them as polyamorous, but simply modern and logical. And not completely straight.  
> I think it was at the end of 'Such Curious Developments' when they explained their relationship thus; "we don't belong to each other, but we belong with each other."


	27. Chapter 27

_Today is a Gershwin day_ , Tamaki decides as he quietly descends the staircase. It’s only five thirty in the morning, but his eyes are bright and his tail bushy. _What a strange expression.  
_ There’s a baby grand in one of the rooms downstairs; he prods the practice pedal into place with his foot as he sits down, wiggling ten supple digits in the air before his face.

To teach the art of hosting is to quantify his own personality and prescribe each component like a doctor prescribing pills. Yes, he is probably the only one of them all that can boast about basing his Host club persona entirely on his genuine self; the gifted but delicate French prince, forever seeking beautiful things and beautiful feelings- perhaps not entirely selflessly, but always with the end goal of making the world purer, happier.

He compares himself to his best friend. The other is cynical where he is dreamy, realistic where he is optimistic, calculated where he is whimsical. _And yet somehow you got the prize Kyoya, you got the girl and you’re on your way up to the top._  
And what does he have, apart from his daydreams? What has this stereotype ever done for him?

Tamaki kicks off the dampeners and allows the strings to vibrate uninhibited, causing the music to swell as he sustains each chord. This isn’t like him, he’s far too charming and energetic to wallow in self-pity.

Lucille’s words come back to him; _We are both older now. I remember you like an excited songbird, hopping and fluttering all the time, brightly-plumed and sweet-voiced. Even after all that’s happened, I hope to find you this way still._

 “Tamaki?” He jumps at the female voice. _Lucille?_ “I think you’re playing the wrong notes.”

Tamaki comes back down to earth, realizing that the person next to him is Haruhi, and his right hand is forming a rather disgusting diminished seventh.  
“You’re awake early.” Releasing the sustain pedal, he slides to the edge of the stool and invites her to sit with a pat of the cushioned velvet.

Haruhi accepts the offer. “You too, what’s up?”  
His face splits into a grin. “I’m excited about today! It’s going to be so much fun!”

“Yeah.” She seems a little nervous, her small feet nudging the legs of the piano stool as her legs swing.

“Why are you up so early?” he quizzes.

Haruhi pulls a face. “My supervisor- from the internship I’m doing- he woke me up with a call an hour ago. They’re a man down for a complex case coming up and he wants me on the team.”

“Wow!” Tamaki gives her a quick squeeze. “You must be good then!”

“Well…” she’s looking at her feet. “I’m good at the responsibilities of a dogsbody. That’s a lot different to being good in a courtroom.”

“It’ll be fine,” he assures her.

Haruhi bites her lip, evidently unconvinced. “Carry on playing,” she requests.

Gershwin seems a little rough for this particular moment. Tamaki chooses Chopin’s Nocturne in E flat, because he remembers her commenting on it once before, despite having no musical knowledge. By the end of it, she is resting her head on his shoulder in an apparent state of calm, so he rifles through his mental catalogue and remembers some similarly relaxing Debussy.

 

- 

Woken by the sound of the room door closing, Kyoya finds Haruhi already gone. He showers and dresses, then starts searching the communal areas of the hotel- following the call of [_Rêverie_](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=R%C3%AAverie&action=edit&redlink=1) _._  He finds Haruhi seated next to Tamaki as he plays, both of them oblivious to him approaching.

Tamaki and Haruhi. Everyone thought they were destined for each other, he himself encouraging it, the others sabotaging everything they could. Mori, Honey and the twins have always been incredibly protective of Haruhi. Knowing this, and considering how hostile they could be, Kyoya often wonders what they said about him after he left school. It’s hardly surprising that Kaoru was the only one of them that kept contact.  
But they needn’t have worried. Haruhi has always been able to look after herself. And being tough when rejecting Tamaki was doing him a favour as a bonus.

Kyoya places a hand on each of their necks, his partner and his best friend, wriggling his fingers. They both jump and yell out before realising it’s him and laughing.  
“Breakfast should be about ready.” He smiles, offering a hand to Haruhi as she stands. She takes it. Tamaki smiles too.

 

-

Two hours later, Tamaki is standing in front of a room full of people and is finding out the hard way that he’s not a fan of public speaking. Concerts, fine. The theatre society he joined on a whim at University, all the better to see him when he’s in the limelight. However, right now the faces of his students are starting to swim a little as he tries to gulp down the nausea climbing up his throat.

But it’s too late to back out now; the success of this project rests quite heavily on his ability to pass on his knowledge. But more than that, he has a chance to prove himself to Grandmother. Something that he worked on, invested in, and can triumphantly show her in six months’ time. He has planted the seeds and now he needs to water and nurture the saplings. In time, the fruits will stand as proof of his capabilities.  
He downs his water bottle and flexes his fingers, shrugging off the shakiness of his hands. Kyoya is watching him; their eyes meet, and behind the glasses is that spark of reassurance he knows and relies upon. _Yeah, you’re right, I_ can _do this._

Tamaki clears his throat, sweeps to the center of the platform, and bows.

“Ladies and gentleman, welcome to Host School.”


	28. Chapter 28

_At school, nothing much changes. One would have to look knowingly to be able to see the signs; hands intertwined under the table at meetings or when they study together, stealing glances at each other across the club, notes being passed discretely under teacups or ‘accidentally’ dropped. The only obvious affection is the hug that happens when they see each other for the first time that day, once away from prying eyes of course. They never kiss in front of the other hosts, not once._

_Every third Friday, Kyoya arranges a date of some kind and Haruhi stays with him until Saturday afternoon. Her father knows, of course, but he never tells her off for staying out because he trusts her. It’s likely that if the others at school knew, they’d never forgive the couple- specifically him, but she’d defend him._

_Sometimes, she is his plaything. He will buy her luxurious clothing and show her off at restaurants and theatres, then take great pleasure in removing the carefully selected dresses and lingerie back at home. He delights in tormenting her, secretly leaving love bites where they won’t be visible, toying with her until she loses herself with his name burning on her lips. The intensity of such a climax is overwhelming, but he always comforts her afterwards with soft words._

_Sometimes however, she is his security blanket. He’s never one to show weakness but it gets to him; the constant crushing pressure to do and be more, to do and be better. His family argue with each other, raised voices echoing through the mansion, sometimes raised hands. His father shouts at him too, but he doesn’t shout back. Instead he asks to see her, and they just watch tv under a blanket. Haruhi learns quickly which way of phrasing her questions allows him to open up properly, and will play with his hair or massage his shoulders as he vents. More often than not, he’ll end up dozing with his head in her lap, and she’s privy to the most secret side of the Shadow King- the human side. His brow creases even in slumber, so she gently smooths the skin with her fingertips._

_And of course, there’s one other sign. He keeps a shelf in his bathroom stocked with “lady stuff” for when Haruhi stays over, and knows that her favourite scent is lavender; occasionally you can smell it on his skin in the morning._

She wakes up alone in her ancient single bed at four in the morning. Classes are at ten till three today, and before and afterwards she’ll be at the Yatsuba-Koboyashi Headquarters, preparing for the upcoming case.

A child psychiatrist has been accused of sexual abuse by the family of a patient. Not only is he denying the allegations, he plans to fight for compensation after the rumours put him out of work. Haruhi is part of the team that are trying to find him guilty.  
It’s an uncomfortable notion that he could be innocent and she could essentially be about to ruin his life. It’s also disconcerting to think that the reverse could happen, and she could have to be working to defend a pedophile.

Pretty soon she’ll need to decide on an area in which to specialize. She’s starting to think that nobody is entirely innocent.  
Haruhi drags herself out of the warmth of her duvet and sets about making coffee. Akito’s question plays on her mind again; are rich people bad people? In that vein, are thieves bad people? And are the victims automatically good? She’s always had a very black and white style of thinking, as well as a rather useful aptitude at telling when people are lying. But the further she progresses towards her goals, the harder it is to define wrong and right.

Trying to put it all out of her mind, she switches on the shower, which seems reluctant to warm up. Her own personal judgment of people is not something that will hold up in a courtroom; ‘guilty’ and ‘innocent’ are no longer adjectives, they are nouns.

Her flatmates haven’t seen her since the middle of last week, she’s been so busy. But when they finally rise, they know she’s been there, because the bathroom smells of lavender.

 

-

Takashi and Honey are making breakfast when Keiko’s signature knock sounds; four quick, gentle knocks, and then two louder and slower. She’s in her dressing gown and is picking a fraying sleeve with nervous fingers.

Honey quietly takes over the pancakes with a knowing nod, while Takashi goes to the cage that houses the white mouse they christened Riceball.

“Can you change the water while I do the food?” he asks. It’s simultaneously an invitation to come inside, and a reminder of their friendship.

Keiko fills up the water bottle, waking Riceball as she reattaches it to the wire. She lifts the rodent out of the cage and cups him in her two hands as she looks up at Takashi and whispers, “I have to talk about the bad doctor again today. They said I wouldn’t have to talk about him again but I do.”

Takashi has no idea what she’s talking about, but there’s obviously a reason she’s never mentioned the ‘bad doctor’. He doesn’t ask who that is. Instead, he asks, “Do you get sad when you talk about him?”

“Yes, because it makes me remember things.”

Riceball squeaks and tries to make a leap for freedom, so Takashi picks him up and places him instead on Keiko’s shoulder. “Maybe if you tell them that you don’t want to remember, they won’t make you talk.” _I don’t know what happened but it sounds as though something terrible occurred and now you’re giving evidence or seeing a counselor. Either way, it’s important to let them know how upset you are so they can help you._

“But I have to. And I’m scared he’ll hear me. Stop it Riceball, that tickles!”

He knows her well enough to know that she understands everything that’s going on, she just struggles to communicate- the facts and her fears roll into one, like cracking two eggs and beating them together. Takashi stows the mouse back in the cage and pulls the girl in for a hug. “The pancakes smell good. Would you like to have breakfast with us before I take you back up?”

_Whatever you’re feeling, this is a safe place for you to be. I’ll make sure of that._

 


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apparently I haven't already complicated matters enough, so let's drop another two interconnected bombshells...

Lucille is wearing a cream chiffon blouse tucked into a long navy skirt, with a baby pink bow tied at her neck. Her copper hair is pulled into a bun but a few curls have fallen to freedom around her face. They recognize each other immediately of course, two Western anomalies among the natives, and share a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

She immediately requests that they speak only in Japanese. “I need to practice if I’m going to live here,” she smiles, “but it’s hard.”

“I used to be ridiculed at school for slipping into French without realizing it,” Tamaki admits, pulling out her chair for her. “But I didn’t take very long to adjust, and you were always smarter than me.” _And beautiful when you blush. You should be used to compliments by now._ “Would you like coffee? Or to try something local?”

She says she’s excited to embrace the new culture, so he orders traditional sakura tea, and is amused by her delight.

“Have you seen much yet?” he asks.

Lucille shakes her head. “Father’s got straight to work, and Mother and I have only ventured as far as a few streets from the hotel. It’s so… different. But I’m loving it already.”

Tamaki finds himself promising to take her to see as much as possible in the next two weeks, knowing full well that after that she’ll return to France- until her wedding.   
At one point, she reaches over the table to touch her hand to his, and swears that if she would have kept in contact if not strictly forbidden to do so. “I couldn’t even ask your Mother about you,” she whispers, eyes growing bright with moisture.

Tamaki‘s gaze falls to their joined hands. “It wouldn’t have been any help anyway. She wasn’t allowed to talk to me either.”

Lucille’s delicate lips part in shock and she squeezes his hand. He explains about her illness, about his Grandmother.

“I can speak to her now though.” He smiles when he finishes his tale. “And maybe someday Father will.”

“And now I can too,” she murmurs, folding her hands in her lap. “All these years and here you are.”

The silence seems too loaded, making Tamaki’s neck itch. “So what do you think of your future husband? What’s his name?” he tries to clear the air with small talk.

Lucille seems to snap out of a daydream. “Oh,” she shakes her head, “I haven’t met him yet. But I think the family are quite famous. Ootori is his name, Akito Ootori.”

 

-

 The office is silent for a few moments, save for ticking of the antique clock, until Yoshio clears his throat. “Well, it’s been a while since I had all three of you in my office together. A family meeting, if you will.”

His sons stand before him in a row, all wondering why they’ve been called here.

The patriarch clears his throat again, shaking off a clingy cough. “Dr Tomiichi Bando is the most sought-after child and adolescent psychiatrist in East Asia. As you know, the contract between his personal practice and our board of Clinicians has been approved, but not signed. Unfortunately-“ he slides a newspaper clipping across the desk- “Dr Bando has been under investigation for sexual offences against patients, and is due to stand trial.”

Three pairs of grey eyes blink in unison.

“As the- as _my_ heirs, I want the three of you to decide what to do.”

“Regardless of whether there’s any truth in the accusations, his reputation will suffer.” Says Yuuchi immediately. “Not only will he face a drop in his net worth, it would make our clients uncomfortable if we were associated with that name.”

“We can’t withdraw our support just like that, it shows weakness.” Akito interjects. “And besides, Bando is a pioneer, he’s got a lot of competition. A lot of enemies. I highly doubt he’s done anything wrong, he’s just being dragged through the mud for the sake of money.”

Kyoya is stroking his chin, considering both arguments. His Father looks expectantly at him, so he says slowly, “The contract has yet to be signed be either party?”

“Correct.”

“Then the man is neither an asset nor a threat to us. Why don’t we just leave it to the courts, keep our hands clean?”

“Because this sort of deal comes up once in a lifetime!” Akito’s voice is loud and excited. “I won’t pass up the chance at having Tomiichi Bando on my hospital’s books. If anything, I think we should sponsor his defense, that way he’ll be indebted to us.”

“And what if he’s guilty?” demands Yuuchi, rounding on his brother.

“Since when are there ethics in business?” Everybody turns to look at Kyoya in stunned silence. He stares back.

“It’s not about whether or not _we_ think he’s a good doctor, or the scum of the earth.” The youngest son continues quietly. “It’s about business, and good business means remaining impartial. As such, it would be foolish of the Ootori zaibatsu itself to show any involvement, to the extent of denying any dealings until if and when Bando is cleared of all charges. However, any one of us can personally decide to support his defense, if so inclined. Let him rot in jail for all I care.”

Yoshio has been watching all this play out over the top of his steepled fingers. Finally he speaks. “Each of you is loyal to the family business in your individual way. The vote against publically advocating for this doctor wins two to one. Yuuchi, you are right to say we should put our clients first. What is healthcare, if not the safety and comfort of the patient?   
Akito, I will not counter any actions you may take, so long as you do so completely independently of the corporation itself so as not to tarnish our name.   
And Kyoya, you too are correct. There is no merit behind taking the moral high ground, not where business is concerned. As Ootoris, we will keep our distance from the entire affair, and re-evaluate the situation once a verdict has been reached and the media frenzy has blown over. That is all.”

His heirs bow and make their exit.   
Yoshio ponders their arguments while looking through the details of the case, given to him by a friend in the know. There is one particular name on the list of all those involved in the prosecution, that he has circled; he smiles to himself.


	30. Chapter 30

The address Haruhi is walking to is familiar. To be exact, she’s heading for a flat in the same building as where Honey and Mori live- but this isn’t a social call. She’s on a mission.

  _“He’s going to plead not guilty.” Kento Yatsuda, the CEO’s son, comes striding into the meeting room and slumps heavily down in the chair at the head of the table._

_“We’ve got a solid case though!” protests one of the lawyers. “Our verdict is based on plenty of proof!”_

_“Not anymore.” The faces of everybody around the table fall. “One of our victims has decided to withdraw her statement. Her father says she doesn’t want to give evidence.”_

_There are cries of dismay from the half-dozen men and women in suits, who shake their heads and exchange somber glances._  
Haruhi isn’t defeated easily though. She flicks through her own- brand new that morning- printed case file.  
“Keiko Yami?” she enquires with a glance at Yatsuba.

_He nods. “The most recent of our three confirmed victims- we’re talking a matter of months rather than years. But if they won’t press charges then we can’t force them.”  
The current address listed on the page in front of her looks a little familiar, but she can’t think where from… Time for another mission. No lies or deceptions this time though._

“Good evening Mr Yami. I’m sorry for calling unannounced at this hour, but my name is Haruhi Fujioka, and I’ve just become part of the case team at Yatsuba-Koboyashi. I’m also an old schoolfriend of Morinozuka and Haninozuka, with whom I believe Keiko is relatively friendly?”

The man looks as though he’s greying before his time, but his smile is warm as he invites her in.  They sit at a round table that’s mostly hidden under potted plants. “My wife died young, so I raised Keiko mostly by myself,” he explains. “She’s never really had friends. It’s hard for her to open up about things.”

“I understand. I’m sorry for your loss.” Haruhi understands all too well.

“You are a very genuine girl. Perhaps you see why she’s decided she wants the charges dropped? My Keiko has a unique way of thinking, and to her it doesn’t matter about the trial and the verdict, she just doesn’t want to have to relive what happened.”

“Can’t you make her understand that seeing him punished will be closure?”

“No.” The man shakes his head. “Neither can your friends. But you might be able to Miss, there’s something about you that reminds me of my dear Keiko. I’ll ask her if she wants to talk to you tomorrow.”

Haruhi gets to her feet and extends her hand. “Thank you for your time Mr Yami.”

“No, thank you.” He says quietly as he shows her out.

 

-

After a shower and some soup, she curls up in bed and calls Kyoya.  
“I’m not supposed to talk about it,” she explains, “but it’s a pretty horrible case, involving multiple charges of sexual assault. And I’m glad I have the chance to help but it’s all just… shitty.”

“Ah.” His voice seems to echo her mood. “I think I know what case you’re talking about. And whilst I don’t wish to contribute to the shittiness, I’ll give you one guess who’s paying the defendant’s legal expenses.”

Haruhi groans into her pillow. As if this isn’t stressful enough.

“Distract me,” she requests, not even caring that her words are needy. “Let’s plan something for your birthday.”

Kyoya snorts. “I told you, I don’t want to make a big deal of it.”

“Talk about something then. Anything.”

“Well as a matter of fact, I think that one of my goldfish is pregnant.”

Before Haruhi has a chance to comment, there is a beeping noise and she pulls the phone away from her ear with a wince.  
“Sorry. Tamaki’s trying to get through. Hold on.” He presses a few buttons and Tamaki’s voice comes out on loudspeaker so that, on the other line, Haruhi can hear it.

“I won’t let it happen!” Tamaki is practically shouting, obviously very upset about something. “I won’t let him marry her! No way!”

“Calm down.” Kyoya sighs heavily. “Tell me what you’re on about. And Haruhi’s listening too so don’t be too pathetic about it.”

There is sniffling for a moment before Tamaki speaks again, quieter this time. “I found out who Lucille is engaged to. And no offence to your brother, but-“

“None taken. I think he’s a shithead myself.”

“- Exactly! She won’t be happy with him, I know her.”

“Are you suggesting she’d be happier with you?”

“I-“ Tamaki stops, and there is silence for a minute. “I gotta go.”  
The call ends with a beep, and Haruhi is back on the line.

“What was that about?” She asks. “Tamaki’s friend is your brother’s fiancée?”

“Apparently so.” Kyoya sounds as though he’s stroking his chin. “But apparently he’s very protective.”

“The way he talks about her… Do you think he’s in love with her? In which case he’d have realized by now, surely?”

“Haruhi, I thought you’d have gathered this by now, but us gentlemen are _catastrophically_ bad at acknowledging our feelings.”

That figures.

  _"Here.” He hands her a cup of fruity-smelling tea and some painkillers. “There’s no concrete evidence that raspberry leaf helps with menstrual cramps, but I read that it’s been used for centuries, so I figured it was worth a try. Maybe you could drink it every day for the next- four to seven days? How long does it last?- and then answer a questionnaire… oh but now you’ll be expecting me to serve you a placebo…”_

_“Shh.” She smiles. “And thank you.” She quickly glances round to make sure nobody is looking, then mouths “I love you”._

_He drops his mouth to her ear, on the pretense of fixing her collar, and whispers, “The feeling is mutual.”  
When he straightens up, she is staring wide-eyed over the teacup at him._

_“What?” He grows a little flushed._

_“Well…”_

_“I mean it.” He says quietly, opening up his notebook and perusing the day’s bookings. “I know I said it once before, but I mean it now. Not that I didn’t mean it then. I mean, I definitely mean it now…”_

_He’s pretty good at acting cool, but she knows better._

 

“So what do we do?” Haruhi pulls the covers up to her chin. “Can’t we just do nothing?”

“Well.” Kyoya sounds like he’s smiling ominously. “I’m sure there’s something we can do now. Otherwise we’re going to end up crashing a wedding.” __  
  



	31. Chapter 31

“Hey.” A cool hand touches his forehead and Kaoru cracks open one eye.  
William is leaning over him with a smile.

“Hey,” he responds, noting how dry his throat is. He tries to sit up and immediately lurches sideways. “Fuck.”

The other boy steadies him with a hand on his shoulder, passing a glass of water which Kaoru drains in a few gulps.

“You were pretty wrecked last night.” William grins. “I have some interesting pictures to show you later.”

Kaoru groans, looking around and realizing he’s not in his own room.

“Oh yeah, we both crashed at mine, because it was a shorter walk back. But I texted your brother from your phone after you passed out, to let him know you were safe.”

“Thanks.” He doesn’t remember the night before, which probably means he acted like a sloppy idiot. In front of the guy he likes too, great.  
“Wait, did we…?”

William shakes his head. “Kaowie, you were too far gone for anything like that. I took your jeans off so you’d be comfortable, nothing weird happened. Not that you weren't eager, but I thought you might regret it.”

“Oh.” Kaoru slumps backwards, blushing at the sweetness of the guy and the implication of his own drunk seduction attempts- which are of course terrible. “Thanks."

“Any time.” William presses a kiss to his forehead. “Now take a shower while I cook breakfast, you stink.”

Once alone in the room, he calls Hikaru. “I’m sorry, I didn’t intend to stay out, I just got wasted and Will was taking care of me. And, um…” Kaoru’s face is hot again, but he breaks into a grin. “I think I’m gonna ask him out as a thank-you.”

 

Back home, Kaoru finds his twin cleaning the apartment rather ferociously while loud music blares. A sure sign that Hikaru is vexed about something.

“Emails,” is all he says, so Kaoru boots up his laptop and checks first his college and then his personal accounts. Sure enough, the latter shows an alert for an unread message from Honey, entitled ‘Christmas.’

 

_Hey Hikachan & Kaochan! <3  
How soon will be coming back to Japan? I know that you’ll want to see your family first, but Takashi and me are impatient to have everyone together again (which can finally happen now that Haruchan and Kyochan are on civil terms, yayyyy).  Also, we’re maybe about to adopt a kitten… if that’s the case then you need to hurry back and see it before it grows too big._

_Reiko doesn’t know yet of course so shh, but I’m excited to announce that we’re soon to be engaged! All the more reason to hurry home and celebrate :P_

 One of the main differences between the brothers is that Kaoru has the ability to be happy for other people. And it’s certainly a joyous thing that at least one of their friends seem to have their life together. But if Hikaru can't be happy about Kaoru finding someone, can _he_ be happy about it?  
Never mind. Bridges are to be crossed in their own time. He starts to type a reply, to the accompaniment of the vacuum cleaner bumping into the skirting board with a thud.

 

-

Tamaki wakes from a dream about chasing butterflies as a small child, to discover he’s running late. Today he’s going to show Lucille around the University. He takes a two-minute shower, thanks a selection of deities for the fact he doesn’t have to worry about obvious facial hair growth, and hotfoots it to her hotel.

Lucille is waiting on the steps outside, dressed all in purple today, and looking as lovely as ever. She smiles as he approaches. “Were you running late?” she asks, raising an eyebrow at his shortness of breath. “You could have called and asked me to wait a little.”

“Everything’s fine,” he insists, pushing his hair out of his eyes before offering his hand. She takes it and descends the last few steps. “I thought we could walk today, so you get to see more of the city. But we can take a car if you’d-“

“Hush now.” She puts a finger to his lips. “I told you, I don’t mind what we do. There’s no get so flustered.”

On the receiving end of her touch and her smile, Tamaki disagrees wholeheartedly at this. And again comes that gnawing thought, why is she able to charm him into submission? It’s usually the other way round…

As they walk arm-in-arm, he replays last night’s conversation with Kyoya for the hundredth time. Of course he loves her, she’s been in his life for longer than anyone apart from his Mother- she’s basically home. It makes sense that he doesn’t want her to end up married off to someone who only cares about money.

But the more he looks at her, the less he can bear the thought of _any_ man having her.

Tamaki’s phone buzzes in his pocket. It’s Haruhi.

**I have a plan forming. Find out what newspapers her dad reads.**

When he puts the phone away and looks back at her, she is pressing her lips together. “Is everything alright?”

“Fine,” he lies.

At this, she bursts out laughing.  
“What?”

“Your shirt is buttoned up wrong. I was waiting for you to realise but I couldn’t hold it in anymore,” she giggles.  
Tamaki looks down at his chest, and curses himself for being an idiot. Lucille steers him to a corner and corrects the mistake, then presses a kiss to his burning cheek. It grows even hotter.


	32. Chapter 32

The meeting takes place in Takashi and Honey’s apartment, while they’re busy making something in the kitchen. Haruhi sits on the sofa next to Keiko, holding her hand out to allow Azuka to perch there.

“So, Keiko.” She smiles. “I know that you know this, but I’m an assistant to the lawyers who are putting Dr Bando on trial. And…” Here Haruhi makes sure her tone is gentle, “I know that you don’t like talking about what happened, but I want you to understand that if we can find the man guilty we can put him in prison, and us, as well as the other people who he did things to, think that’s what he deserves.”

The girl fidgets. “I think that’s what he deserves too.”

“Enough for you to give evidence?” Haruhi’s prepared herself to explain the basics, but Keiko seems more aware of what’s going on than everyone else has realized. Reading people is Haruhi’s skill- the girl before her is scared and confused, but not stupid. It’s entirely likely that the team members she’s already spoken to have treated her like a slow child. But they are the same age, and Haruhi is addressing her so.

“You can make all your statements and things over video chat, so you don’t have to be in the courtroom.” She says, inviting Keiko to pet the bird that’s wobbling on her wrist. “Or you can sit behind a screen so nobody can actually see who you are. Would that help do you think?”

“Maybe.” Keiko stares down at the floor for some time, and then asks, “Can Takashi be with me?”

“Of course.” Haruhi watches the bird peck at the other girl’s hand. “Anything that makes you feel more comfortable, because this is important, which I think you know.”

Keiko bites her lip. “My mum’s dead. I can’t ask for her advice.”

Haruhi presses her eyes closed. “So is mine. She was a great lawyer, as well as a great mother. And… I wish she’d come and tell me how to win this case and how to get through Law School and how to make all my friends happy. But although she can hear me, she can’t talk to me. I have to work it all out myself.”

When she opens her eyes again, Keiko is staring directly at her for the first time that evening.  
“I’ll talk.” She whispers. “But only if Takashi’s there.”

“I’m sure he’ll have no problem with-“ Haruhi is cut off by Azuka suddenly screaming _Breaking news!_ And flapping his wings. They laugh.

The boys come in at that moment bearing trays of hot chocolate. “We have marshmallows!” Honey grins. “And cookies.”

“Haruhi,” says Keiko suddenly, speaking without being directly addressed for the first time that evening. “You were at school with Takashi and Honey right? Tell me stories.”

“Well.” Haruhi grins as she sips her hot chocolate, watching the cousins grow suddenly uncomfortable. “When we first met, they had no idea I was a girl…”

 

When it’s time to head home, Takashi sees her out and pauses in the hallway.

“Thank you.” He says to her.

Haruhi smiles. “I’m just trying to do my best, for everyone-”

“No.” Takashi interrupts her. “Thank you.”  
His words are heavily emphasized, and so is the hug that he pulls her into. Haruhi lets herself lean into his strong form for some time, inhaling his warmth. Eventually she extracts herself.

“I’ll see you soon.” She hurries out of the apartment complex, wanting to get home and comfortable before her dad phones.

 

-

“What do you think then?” Honey asks, once Keiko too is gone and they’re sitting on the sofa watching Azuka repeatedly failing to pick up a marshmallow with his beak.

“Whatever Haruhi said must have worked.” Replies Takashi. “But…”

“But Haru-chan works too hard. She gets too invested. And if it’s all for nothing, and the bad doctor doesn’t go down, she’ll be just as upset as Keiko-chan.”

“Yeah.” Takashi lets the silence fall. Haruhi, Mitskuni, Keiko, they are all like little animals that need rescuing, but he doesn’t have enough hands to carry them all at once. Sooner or later Mitskuni is going to get free, start a new life outside of his safety. That leaves him enough hands to shelter the others, but Haruhi too is starting to hear temptation calling from the dangerous outside world; temptation that plots its assaults in secret from behind a charming smile and a pair of glasses.

 

-

“Maybe you should come back home.” Her Dad says quietly.

Haruhi sighs. “I can’t. Not right now, at least, with my internship. And… It’s good to be near everyone from school, now that we’re growing closer again.”

Ranka is wise enough to know what ‘everyone’ means. “You’ve seen him again, haven’t you?” He’s growing excited. “Are you giving it another try?”

“Yes.”

“Oh thank goodness!” Ranka cheers. “I’ve always wanted you to be with someone who can provide stability."

She frowns. “What, you mean money?”

“No! Well… yes. But only because your mother and I used to struggle so-“

“I get it. I have to go now. Bye Dad.”

Haruhi hands up and scowls for a moment. Even the mere mention of money is enough to annoy her these days. Can’t she go live in the forest or something?  
No. She has friends that need her. Haruhi picks up a piece of paper from her desk, returns to her bed, dials the number on the paper and presses the phone to her ear.

“Hello Myami. It’s Haruhi Fujioka here. I have a favour to ask you, related to your exceptional influence in your field of work. I am aware that it would place me in your debt…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I have friends on the autistic spectrum, but I am not myself. If I write something bad please call me out but not aggressively. My main point with Keiko is that autistic adults, especially those who struggle to communicate verbally, are very much belittled and treated as children, but Haruhi doesn't equate "simple sentences" with "immaturity" because, y'know, she's not ignorant.  
> I'd be interested in people's opinions of my neurodiverse!Hikaru headcanon, I might expand on it in this story but I might save it for a separate drabble...


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Birthday sex. And birthday non-sex. And non-birthday sex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's a reference to "Such Curious Developments" in here, brownie points if you spot it!

“You’re amazing,” Kyoya murmurs against the shell of her ear.

After the obligatory- and uncomfortable- family visit, he was incredibly relieved when Haruhi showed up bearing a bottle of shochu and a packet of cigarettes. And hour later, both are half empty and his first three shirt buttons undone as he listens to her.

“I know,” she grins, fingers toying with his fringe. “And Ms Azumi’s very interested in these hotels of ours. She’s going to write a piece about them too, and I promised her a nice holiday.”

“Lots of people are interested.” Kyoya spins her around by the waist to face the desk, remembering why he brought her into the office in the first place. Laid out are at least a dozen inquiries from high-class travel journals, glamour magazines, and even a catering business. “We can pick and choose a couple of sponsorship deals, I thought about approaching-“

“No.” Haruhi silences him. “Let them come to us.”

He grins. “You’re becoming quite the businesswoman you know. I’m rather proud to call you my partner- in both senses.”

She smiles too, then catches sight of another piece of paper. A rather crumpled sketch of herself, drawn about three years ago now.

“I found it tucked in the back of a diary. Even though I thought you were long gone, I kept it as a reminder of… everything.” He finishes quietly.

“A memento of you finding excuses to gawp at me because you were too proud to ask me out.” Haruhi raises her eyebrows as she sips her drink.

“I should draw you again,” he muses, “I’m a little out of practice. But-“ one hand toys with the zipper at her back- “I think you should pose naked.”

“I don’t think so.” She snorts.

Kyoya gives her his best sly smile. “It is my birthday…”

She closes her eyes at the feel of him brushing her spine, which he takes as a cue to unzip her top and prize it away from her. Her body is a piece of art, perfect already, but there’s no harm in a little graffiti.

He grabs a handful of coloured markers and her hand, leading to the bedroom. “Lie down on your front”, he tells her. She obeys, and he unclips her bra, the canvas of her back now presented to him. Kyoya places kisses from the nape of her neck all the way down to the base of her spine before uncapping a pen and starting to draw.

He draws the outline of the horizon that the balcony overlooks, and some clouds overheard, and then begins to methodically fill in each blocky shape with different coloured swirls and dots. Haruhi seems like she’s drifting off while he works, so slow and even is her breathing.   
As soon as he’s finished though, she pushes herself up and grabs his collar, bringing their lips crashing together.

“Mind the glasses!” he warns, and she laughs. He laughs too, until he finds himself laying on his back with Haruhi kneeling over him.

“I don’t think I’ve given you your birthday present.” Her husky whisper makes him bite his lip as her small fingers remove his glasses and toss them carelessly to one side before she’s kissing down his neck, over the exposed skin of his chest where his shirt is all but undone, to his navel.  
He grits his teeth, weaving his fingers through her hair. As she tugs his jeans and boxers down and touches moistened lips _just slightly_ to the tip of his cock, those hands turn into fists and start to pull.

 

-

Tamaki can’t sleep. That day’s revelation, in the form of a convenient little expose on Akito Ootori’s shady business ethics inside the latest edition of _Eurasia Financial_ , has understandably upset Lucille- but it’s upset him too. Selfish, he knows that.  
By the time she’d got off the phone to her Father, it was dark out, and so he’d suggested she stay the night in one of the guest rooms here at the Suoh Mansion. So when his bedroom door creaks slowly open, her name is the first in his mind.

“Lucille?”

It’s dark, but he can smell her perfume. The mattress dips either side of his hips as she climbs onto the bed.

“Love me.” She whispers.

“What?” He sits up.

“Tomorrow I’ll fly back to France and be under my Father’s control again. I don’t know when or if he’ll let me speak to you. So love me tonight.”

Tamaki tries to string a sentence of protest together, but finds his lips suddenly against hers, and _oh god_ it’s like breathing for the first time in his life, his greedy lungs urging _more_. Yes, he will love her tonight, because he has loved her for a long time, at the back of his mind where he didn’t have to worry about accidentally remembering. Now though, now he realizes that there’s no way he could have forgotten. He pulls her closer, wanting to drown in her hair and her warmth. She kisses back with as much fervour, trying desperately to feel more of her skin against his, until pyjamas are discarded and there are no more barriers left.

Never mind that he’s been waiting for this moment for years now, he’s been waiting for _her_. He has to grip her tight to ground himself, remembering what happened the only other time a girl’s hips have been against his, but she doesn’t mind. The way hands roam skin, it’s like trying to leave an imprint on the other person, a reminder. _I was here. We were here._ They kiss clumsily until they’re both gasping for breath, in a whirlwind of Lucille’s perfume and the smell of sex; and once it’s over they fall backwards and resume kissing, but much slower now, intertwining shaking fingers in the darkness. A plea. _Remember that I was here. Remember me._

The last thing Tamaki is aware of before he falls asleep is the feeling of tears on his cheeks; he doesn’t know whose.

 

-

Both of their bodies are smudged with sweat and ink as they peel apart, panting.

“Fuck..” Kyoya exhales, collapsing onto his back.

“Yeah.” Haruhi agrees, doing the same.

He can’t resist snaking his hand between her thighs, feeling her slick with his fluids as well as her own.

“I already came twice,” she protests weakly as he slides two fingers into her heat.

“Third time lucky.” His voice is a little hoarse after crying out so hard when his own orgasm finally hit. “It never occurred to me that you’d feel so damn _good_ afterwards though. Mmm.” Jerky movements that will send her already-satiated g-spot into overdrive. “I can stop if you like though?”

“No, please don’t stop,” she whimpers, squeezing her eyes shut.

He pulls her earlobe sharply between her teeth. “I thought so. You can’t get enough of me touching you…”

It’s been barely a minute and she’s already digging her nails into his back. Kyoya lowers his voice to a whisper. “I’ll let you into a secret… I can’t get enough of you either, you look so gorgeous when you’re coming for me.”

That does it and her nails are practically drawing blood as she yells out his name one more time. Still riding the high of his own release, he basks in sight and sound of hers, before carelessly wiping his hand on the bedsheets.

Then he reaches for one of the abandoned markers- purple- and marks her stomach in slow, bold strokes, spelling out a single word.

_Mine._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so there are a lot of cliches here, I know. But if you look past those and compare the two different sexytimes, it's quite symbolic of the two relationships; one is a fleeting moment that can probably never really happen, the other is strong and mature, but turbulent. Kyoya drawing on Haruhi's back shows their level of intimacy, but if you really like reading into things, the picture isn't permanent, and got ruined...


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drama incoming...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daily updates aren't really happening anymore... apologies to the regular readers. I've nearly published all the pre-written chapters, and now we're nearing the end it means I have to make my tired brain work harder when I write :P but I'm off to stay with my parents over the holidays soon which means less responsibilities and more writing time!

Weekend lie-ins are a treat, something to be savoured. Waking next to Haruhi, Kyoya intends to make the most of it- but Tamaki has rather dashed that plan by turning up in a state of panic.

The blonde accepts a cup of highly sweetened tea and a hug from the more sympathetic Haruhi before being able to speak.  
“Lucille’s going back to Japan today, for good now that she’s not engaged anymore.” He whispers, clutching the mug tightly.

“You must have figured that was happening though?” Haruhi raises her eyebrows, tightening Kyoya’s dressing gown around her small waist.

“Yeah but…” Tamaki takes a gulp. “We spent the night together and now she’s disappearing out of my life again…”

“Spent the night together? As in…”

“Yeah.” He looks glumly down into his tea.

Kyoya yawns as he pats his friend on the shoulder. “Congratulations, you finally worked out where to put it.”

“Not helpful.” Haruhi elbows him.

“What?” Kyoya looks at her over the top of his glasses. “I’m trying to bring out the positives of the situation. You did say you were saving it for someone special. Who could be more so?”

Tamaki isn’t cheered up by this. On the contrary, he looks up at his two best friends with an expression of horrified comprehension.  
“...We didn’t use protection.” He realizes.

There’s silence for almost a full minute.

“Go on then,” he blinks humourlessly at Kyoya. “Find a positive in that.”

“Simple.” Kyoya pours himself more coffee. “If she’s pregnant then you’ll have to get married immediately so she doesn’t end up like your Mother.”

Tamaki gets to his feet with such force that the chair tips over. “I’m not my Father!” He yells.

“No.” says Kyoya quietly. “You’re not.”

“I should go.” Red-faced, Tamaki picks the chair back up. “Thank you for the tea.”

As soon the door has closed, Haruhi turns to Kyoya and slaps him across the cheek.

“Ow! What was that for?” He drops his mug in surprise.

“Your best friend is distraught and you think it’s okay to make jokes?”

Kyoya rubs his cheek indignantly. “Tamaki isn’t a child anymore. He has to learn to face the mess he makes for himself. Without making irrational decisions based purely on emotions. We won’t always be able to pick up the pieces for him you know!”

Haruhi sighs, turning away and running a hand through her hair. “I don’t disagree. He’s a lovesick idiot with no understanding of consequences. But he’s our friend. And you behaved like a complete twat just now.”

She doesn’t speak or act like that without reason. He doesn’t want to give her more reasons, so he leans against the kitchen counter with his lips pressed together, rubbing his temples, while she cleans up the spilled coffee and smashed china. He stays there, too, as she retrieves her clothes and dresses in the bathroom. After the door slams behind her, he remains still for a long time.

 

-

 “Hello?” Tamaki’s voice is a little weak, having spent the rest of the day hiding in his room and refusing to talk to anyone.

“It’s me.” Haruhi says quietly. “I wanted to check on you, you were quite upset earlier. And, I’m sorry about what Kyoya said.”

“Don’t apologise for him. He’s right.” There’s a sniffle. “I’m alright now that I’ve had time to think, thank you.”

“Yeah, no. You’re not.” When he doesn’t answer, she sighs. “Look, I’m here for you if you need me, okay? Just… do some more thinking. I know you’re probably desperate to get in touch with Lucille, but she’ll need her space too. It’ll do you good. Especially if… you know.”

“If I’ve got to let her go for good this time.” Tamaki finishes. He could be crying again, but it could just be the line crackling. “Yes. Space is good. Thanks for looking out for me, Haruhi. I…”

“Anytime. Goodnight.”

 

She hangs up and lets the phone fall from between her fingers onto the carpet.  
“Urgh.”

“Well he’s coping, that’s a weight off your mind.”

Haruhi turns to look at Takashi, sitting next to her on the overstuffed sofa. “I guess,” she sighs, flopping heavily against the cushions behind her.

Takashi settles one of his large hands on her head, tapping the pad of his index finger against her glabella. “You didn’t mention the fight.”

She fidgets uncomfortably. “Well, Tamaki’s never been able to handle too many emotions at once. He’d be properly cut up if he thought he’d made trouble for us.”

Takashi says nothing, but his eyebrows twitch.

“Alright.” Haruhi sighs again. “I can’t trust him not to go blabbing. He doesn’t have common sense like you do. I don’t want to talk to Kyoya for the time being, that’s all, so it’ll be better for everyone if Tamaki doesn’t get caught between us making mountains out of molehills.”

“The truth suits you better.” Takashi says quietly.

Haruhi fidgets again. Having older friends has turned out to be a great advantage; they don’t judge. But the way he’s looking at her- the eyes of a law scholar as well as a wise friend- seems to make everything spill out, whether she wants it to or not.  
She rests her head on his shoulder, and his arm slips around her. Before she knows it, once again she’s crying in between her words, and he is silent comfort, ears lent to her.  
“I got mad, so I overplayed the whole thing, I know I did. But when I left… it was like when we broke up. I left and he just _stayed put_. Not trying to stop me. He said it was…” she hiccups, trying to suppress full-blown sobs- “He said it was stupid of him to let that happen but he let it happen _again!_ ”

“Then he’s not worth the tears.”

Haruhi stops crying abruptly, and peels away to look up at Takashi. He wipes her cheek with his thumb.

“Do you really think that?” she whispers.

“Do you?”  



	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's some not-particularly-relevant fluff here bc i think we all need it

“Where are we going?” Reiko laughs a little as Honey tugs her along- it feels like she’s walking an overexcited puppy.

“Here!” Honey grins. They’ve come to a halt outside-

“A pet shop?”

“Takashi and I thought it would be nice to have a cat, but we’re technically not allowed in our current flat. But then we heard that this place is closing down, and needs to rehome a couple of kittens.”  
They’re inside now. Honey approaches the counter, smiling and perching on tip-toes to address the elderly man behind it. “I’m here for my collection.”

“As if I could forget such a face.” The man smiles and reaches under the counter, bringing out a cage covered by a dark cloth. “There you go. Remember what I said about feeding schedules?”

“Yep!” Honey reaches up and takes the cage. “I wish we could have taken the dog as well, but we don’t have the room.”

“Ah.” The old man sighs. “He hates cats anyway.”

 

Honey won’t let her peer under the blanket, much to Reiko’s annoyance. “They’ll get scared, wait till we’re home.”

“They? You have more than one? How are you going to hide them?”

Honey flashes his mischievous smile. “Don’t worry, they’re pretty small.”

He texts Takashi to let him know that the mission has been successful- and frowns as he realizes he’s missed a text sent last night.

**Haruhi’s staying here tonight- there’s been an argument. Tamaki involved somehow.**

“Just as well you didn’t go back to yours last night then.” Reiko has read the message over his shoulder, and now drops a kiss into the crown of his hair.  
Honey blushes a little.

 

-

Haruhi wakes disoriented and dry-throated; she sits up a stuffed pink rabbit falls from her lap. Oh that’s right, she’s in Honey’s bed.  
Last night, her and Takashi stayed up until midnight talking, and then her phone had rung. Four times in a row while she stared at it with her hands shaking, letting the voicemail kick in each time. Afterwards came a text notification;

**Hope I didn’t wake you. Probably best you didn’t pick up, I’m pretty wasted anyway.**

There was still half a packet of cigarettes in her pocket, and after reading the message she’d gone outside and smoked one after the other, oblivious to the rain. Then Takashi had insisted it was too late to walk home in the dark and cold. And that’s why she’s here.

 She finds Takashi meditating in the living room. Strange how this flat is smaller even than hers but much more peaceful. She decides to make herself useful and prepare tea; the kettle has just boiled when Honey’s keys turn the lock.

Haruhi carries the tray into the living room, but can’t put it on the table because of an animal cage in the way.

“Take a look.” Honey beckons her forward. Takashi and Reiko are also peering close.  
Honey removes the cover and opens the cage door. Inside are two small piles of fur, one black, one white with ginger splotches. Gently, he reaches in and lifts out the black one, which uncurls to reveal four legs and a tail, which twitches in time with the pink nose sniffing suspiciously at Honey’s hand.

“Only just eight weeks old.” Honey hands the kitten to Reiko. “We think they should stay together for now, but when they grow up, this one will come with us to our new home.”  
She cradles the black kitten, blinking back tears as she strokes her boyfriend’s cheek. Honey kisses her fingers and smiles.

Haruhi smiles too as she watches them. If any two people deserve a happy life together, it’s these two.

What about her and Kyoya? She remembers the four missed calls and all the games they’ve drawn their friends into, all the times those friends have put her back together again. _I don’t know about happiness, but we certainly deserve each other._

The second kitten has woken, and has padded curiously to the cage door, peering out with green eyes. It reminds her of the twins, who will be back on Japanese soil in exactly six days, the same day that all the evidence is presented in court.  
Haruhi extends her palm. The kitten examines it for a moment, then gives it an enthusiastic lick.

 

-

 Tamaki is lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. On the pillow beside him, the last letter than Lucille sent before her visit, folded so that only the return address is visible. On his mind, Haruhi’s advice to him; _she’ll need her space too. It’ll do you good._

The sheets have been changed but if he closes his eyes, he can almost fool himself that her perfume lingers. But he’s done with fooling himself, it’s a waste of his own energy. What’s the point of clinging onto fairytales, when there is a real world in which to live and breathe? In the stories, Prince Charming never wastes his energy, or his time, on moping in his room feeling wretched. Heroes can be lovesick, that’s perfectly fine. But not _pathetic._

He reaches for his phone, trying Kyoya again, but the other’s phone has been switched off all day. Not surprising really. He types out a message and presses ‘send.’

**You were right to be unsympathetic. It’s high time I manned up.**

As soon as it’s delivered, he brings up a different contact, the family’s personal pilot.  
“Hello? Yes, it’s Master Suoh. How quickly can you get me to Paris?”

 


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a bit of a short one. but the next is big. like, BIG thing gonna happen.  
> In the meantime, here's some slightly humorous frustration as a nice change from the angst.

  _Acute hepatitis and chronic hepatitis are distinguishable by clinical factors other than duration of affliction, although some symptoms of the former can mimic those of the latter during acute deterioration of the patient’s condition, also known as a ‘flare up’. In order to…_

“Screw this.” Kyoya slams his laptop shut and tilts his chair backwards, removing his glasses so he can dig the heel of his hand into the bridge of his nose, alleviating some of the pounding there. He has an exam in three days, but his partner is pissed at him and his best friend has gone AWOL, probably to chase after a girl he can never marry. Plus they’re all supposed to be opening up their business to the public in less than a month.

The bottle on the desk next to him is empty. Kyoya picks it up with the intention of replacing it with a full one, but he’s been revising liver diseases for eleven hours solid now and it’s enough to put one off alcohol for a little while. Instead he goes out for a smoke and checks his phone.

Nothing from Tamaki- the idiot apparently didn’t factor in roaming when last upgrading his phone. But an update from Tachibana confirms that the Suoh jet did indeed leave Japan five hours ago- destination Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris.

As for Haruhi, there’s been no contact since she stormed out yesterday morning, apart from his half-hearted attempt last night. He hasn’t wanted to try in case of making things worse.

So when the phone in his hand suddenly begins to emit her signature ringtone, he drops it in surprise.

Straight over the balcony.

 

-

She doesn’t really expect him to answer, but Haruhi can’t avoid feeling frustration as the dial tone cuts off. Not even voicemail. She tosses her phone down onto the table and turns her attention back to the large amount of washing up that’s accumulated over the past couple of days. Her flatmates are both adults, but neither seem inclined to take any responsibility for themselves if she’s not around to encourage them.

Her phone rings just as she’s finishing, and she jumps, hurriedly drying her hands and grabbing it.  
“Kyoya?”

“Um… hey.” The voice on the other end- definitely not Kyoya- sounds rather awkward.

“Hikaru!” she can’t help but sigh in relief. “Sorry, it’s just that I was expecting… never mind. What’s up?”

The twin clears his throat, but evidently decides against prying, and instead says excitedly, “Guess what? We’ve only got online submissions for the rest of this term now, so we’re coming home early!”

Haruhi feels herself grinning. “Cool! When?”

“We’ll be landing at four pm local time tomorrow.”

Tomorrow? True, she can’t wait to see her friends again, but with the Bando case and all the drama, she has a lot of studying to catch up on before she can allow herself any more social time.

Here comes another late night.

 

-

Rich neighbourhoods tend to turn a blind eye to everything, which is probably good news to the youngest Ootori heir on his hands and knees in the street, searching for his phone. He finds half of it- the half with the sim card, which is the important bit after all- but not before getting soaked with dirty spray from passing traffic.  
Ignoring stares from two middle-aged women in fur coats, Kyoya sprints to the lobby and into one of the lifts, jabbing impatiently at the ‘floor seventeen’ button while dripping with rainwater. Once back in his apartment, he grabs one of the spare phones from his office, slots in his sim card, enters his security code, and dials Haruhi’s number.

He stares at the screen for a good few minutes. This feels like horribly like an extended metaphor involving futile attempts to communicate through tin cans on a string because the string has frayed and snapped, or being geographically close but in different timelines which can never cross, or-

“Screw it”, he says for the umpteenth time that day, and goes to the fridge to get another beer. He feels like the two goldfish in the bowl on the table are looking at him with weary judgement.

“What do you know about relationships?” he demands of them. “You basically had an arranged marriage and now you’re starting a happy family without having to worry about external influences because you’re in a bowl. Underwater.”

_I am snapping at fish. I am a genius and worth at least twice my weight in gold, yet I am drinking at five in the evening, and taking out my frustrations about my impending exams and my romantic misfortune on two goldfish who are barely sentient, let alone interested._

 They say it gets worse before it gets better. He sincerely hopes this is the ‘worse’ part.

 

-

It’s past one in the morning when Haruhi finally closes her textbooks and drags the covers over her shoulders. They feel weighed down, as though the books are piled upon them- or more accurately, her workload and all her worries. The combined weight of the court case, her financial instability, Kyoya, Tamaki, her father and the business, is too much to handle right now.

Luckily, tomorrow she will once again be surrounded by friends, friends that she knows will help her carry the weight if she asks.

Tomorrow. 


	37. Chapter 37

It’s ten past four and already beginning to get dark. Haruhi, Takashi and Honey are bundled up in coats and scarves as they wait at the gate. The airport is noisy and bustling.  
“It’s here!” Honey starts jumping up and down with excitement as the automatic doors slide open and a jostling line of tired passengers spills into the lounge. She starts scanning the faces anxiously, looking for-  
There. Her shout is drowned out by theirs as they approach. Grinning like always.

Hikaru’s hair is shorter than Kaoru’s now, and they are dressed differently, the younger seeming much more flamboyant. But their smiles are identical and wide as they practically charge, initiating a group hug that causes onlookers to stare.  
When the five break apart, Kaoru holds out his arm, and Haruhi realizes that another traveller is with the twins. A tall young man sidles nervously over, his shyness at odds with his muscular build and height. A bit like Takashi. Although wearing much more purple.

“Everyone,” Kaoru smiles, “I brought someone to meet you. This is William. My boyfriend.”

 

_“So… you’re out then?” Tamaki hiccups in between words- Hitachiin New Year parties seem to have unlimited reserves of alcohol at hand._

_“To the family, yeah. And you guys are pretty much family, so you get to know too. But otherwise it’s a secret at school.” Kaoru replies, swigging his drink._

_“That makes sense”, Kyoya murmurs, catching Haruhi’s waist as she comes over so that she topples into his lap. “It would be bad for business if the girls found out- actually, on second thoughts, it’d probably fuel various incest-related rumours… ow!” Haruhi has just elbowed him in the chest while trying to escape. It’s been a year since they announced their relationship, but they’re still cautious- although Kyoya much less so after a few drinks._

_Hikaru, luckily, hasn’t noticed this, studying his brother carefully. “I think it’s best that it stays quiet, for now at least.” He announces. “After all, it might turn out that you’re wrong.”_

_“You keep saying that.” Kaoru frowns. “You don’t have to… you know…”_

_“Do sex?” offers Honey._

_“Yeah, that. You can know without trying.”_

_Haruhi hides her own frown as she takes Kyoya’s drink away from him before he compromises his composure somehow; it’s one thing to keep secrets safe in Music Room 3. It’s quite another to be gay when you’re part of one the country’s most prosperous circles, where slander and grudges go round like the common cold._

 

“No Tamaki?” Hikaru asks, looking round.

“No, he’s…” Haruhi trails off. It’s now Monday, and although he seemed a little stable on Saturday evening, it’s a little worrying that Tamaki’s been quiet since then. She’d expected him to be bugging her at all hours of the night, particularly if Kyoya had explained what happened between them… _No._ Don’t think about that now.

“He’s busy.” She finishes.

“Ah well. We’ll all be together soon, for the opening party!” Hikaru doesn’t seem to notice, or care, that Kyoya hasn’t come along either. But Kaoru is looking at Haruhi with his eyebrows slightly raised as he intertwines his fingers with William’s.

“Are you excited?” he asks her. “I bet you never thought you’d end up being business partners with your weird rich schoolfriends.” He finishes with a wink.

“Never would have crossed my mind three years ago that I’d even end up calling you all friends.” Haruhi admits, as they make their way out of the airport. “But then, neither did I think I’d end up being on a legal team for a major case.”

“Oh, what’s this then?” Hikaru snakes an arm through hers. “Are you a big-shot lawyer already?”

“Just a dogsbody,” she laughs. “But it’s quite important stuff. Have you ever heard of a Dr Tomiichi Bando?”

Both twins stop dead, their eyes meeting each others’ from suddenly very white faces.  


 

-

Kyoya holds his breath as soon as the dial tone sounds. Four rings, five, six.

“Kyoya? Hi.”

He was expecting voicemail again and almost drops the phone in surprise, but he steadies his shaking hand and swallows. “Haruhi. How are you? I wanted to make sure you’re ok after… you know…”

“I’m fine, I just got back from greeting the twins...” She sounds like she’s swallowing too. “I’m sorry Kyoya, I should have answered before. And I shouldn’t have slapped you.”

He sighs. “I’m the one who should be sorry. To you as well as Tamaki.”

There’s a pause. “Have you heard from him?”

“He’s in France. I’ve got people keeping an eye out, it seems like he’s finally figured out what he wants and he’s not coming home till he’s got it.”

“Good for him.” Haruhi is quiet for another moment.

“Can you- I mean, would you like to come over?” Kyoya wants to hit himself.

“Yeah.” She sounds like she’s smiling now. “I’ll be over as soon I can be.”

 

-

Haruhi is still thinking about the way the twins reacted to her discussion of the court case earlier, but she’s sure that if they have anything to tell her, it will come out when its ready. And it’s a relief to know Tamaki isn’t still mourning in his room- but disappearing to another continent without telling anyone is going to earn him a stern talking-to.  
_You’re not his mum. He can deal with this._ She shakes off her concerns and presses the button on the intercom.

Kyoya’s face shows how relieved he is to see her; when he pulls her in for a tight hug, she notices that he smells of smoke and alcohol again, and the shadows under his eyes are once again darker than his hair. She touches one with her thumb. “You’ve not been sleeping.”

“I have exams. Lots of work.” He shrugs, pulling her through to his room. She kicks off her shoes and sits down on the sofa, and he kneels on the floor next to her, resting his head on her lap.

“So what’s Tamaki’s grand plan?” Haruhi runs her fingers through Kyoya’s hair, making it stand up a little.

He sighs heavily. “I don’t know. He emailed this morning saying he’s staying at his mother’s, and he’s managed to talk to Lucille. That was it.”

Haruhi pulls a face. “I imagine we’d have heard if there was an accidental heir on the way, so that’s one less thing to worry about.”

Kyoya groans and buries his face in her jeans. “Can you imagine Tamaki being a dad?”

“It’d be… entertaining.” Haruhi laughs as she remembers the long-running joke of Tamaki and Kyoya’s ‘marriage’. “Because you’re mommy after all, right?”

“Nnnfffgh.” He groans again.

“You would.” She pokes the back of his head. “You’d be a housewife. And I bet you’d be good at it too, teaching the children how to make money and having the house clean and dinner cooked ready for when daddy Tamaki comes home…”

He pulls her onto the floor and begins a violent tickle assault. “I. Am. Not. A. Housewife.”

“Alright, alright!” Haruhi wheezes, trying to push him off. “I’m only teasing. Anyway, your family is big on tradition, so I bet you’d choose to be the breadwinner, even if you didn’t have to be.”

“I guess that’s true.” Kyoya flops down next to her. They both lie on their backs on the carpet, staring up at the ceiling, hands finding each others’. “I don’t see my life as having a purpose otherwise, in all honesty. But I watched what happened to my parents, and I’m not going down the same route. I will work for the sake of my family, not for the sake of money.”

“If only the others could hear you now.” Haruhi smiles almost sadly. “You never talk about your mum. I met her… twice maybe?”

Kyoya exhales slowly and heavily. “She might as well be dead.”

“You can’t say that!” Haruhi whispers, shocked.

“Well it’s true. She married my father because she was told to, did her duty, and that was it. She’s got no life left. She just hides away in the mountain villa waiting for all her children to be married so she can die.”

Haruhi rolls onto her stomach, placing a kiss on Kyoya’s cheek. “I don’t think you’re like your father at all. I know you worry about it. But you don’t need to. You’ve got a good heart.”

He blinks up at her for several long moments, as though realizing something, and then sits up abruptly. “Stay there.”

“…Okay.” Haruhi watches with some confusion as he bounds over to his dresser and rummages for something, before returning more sedately and holding out a hand to her. She stands, and allows herself to be led to the open glass door of the balcony.

Kyoya turns her to face out at the city with its yellow lights permeating the blanket of evening sky. “Haruhi. When I was seventeen, I decided that I wanted to marry you.  You saw through the whole ambitious, calculating youngest son charade and brought out my better side. I wanted my hard work to be for you, not for me, for everything that we could and would build together.    
I was young and stupid, but I’m twenty now and I haven’t changed my mind.” He opens her palm and places something in it. “If you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me, I wouldn’t keep you as a trophy and make you stay at home and do as I say, because your independence is one of the many, many things that I love about you.”

As though she’d let him if he wanted to… Haruhi looks into the palm of her hand. Nestled there is a gold ring, bearing some pruple stone cut into a teardrop shape.

“But,” Kyoya continues, “what I would do… is anything you wanted. It’s a horrible cliché, but out there-“ he gestures at the city below them- “I’d give you the whole world if I could. Hell, maybe we can take it together, you’re more talented and hard-working than me. You’ve given me inspiration, too much of it to list, and you’ve showed me what happiness is. I’d like to give you everything I have in return, for the rest of my life. And if you’d like that, then…” His hand catches hers, holding it up so the ring glints in the artificial light. “Then wear this.”

Haruhi looks at the lights reflected in the stone, then out at the real things, and finally to Kyoya. Her lips press softly against his.

“I’d like that a lot,” she whispers, finding that she’s blinking back tears. “Really quite a lot.”

He leans in for another kiss, this time slipping the ring onto her finger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the are they/aren't they shenanigans are finally over! but the story isn't yet, there are still a few more loose ends to tie up.
> 
> On Kyoya's proposal; I knew from the start it would never be a traditional romantic gesture because he's simply not like that, so I felt that having him down on one knee and all that would just have been a cop-out. To Haruhi as well, the idea of getting married is not about the actual wedding and marriage, it's just a way of saying "I want to spend the rest of my life with you". To me, Kyoya would have weighed up the merits and the connotations and stuff, but still goes with the down-to-earth and spontaneous option. He didn't plan to do it right then, he just knew that it was the right time. Let me know what you think!


	38. Chapter 38

The courtroom is silent, each bench of onlookers holding their breaths; deep ones, so deep that all the air seems to have been sucked out of the atmosphere, leaving it as heavy as lead.  
Haruhi sits directly beside Kento Yatsuba, watching his face as he stares, along with the other lawyers, at the Judge, waiting for him to speak. From his position in the audience, Kyoya can see that Haruhi’s hands are clenched into fists on her lap. The amethyst ring is catching the glare from the fluroscent strip lights.

He doesn’t have to look to know that he’s being watched. On the opposite side of the wood-panelled room sits Akito. Neither brother seems quite able to admit that this goes far beyond a personal grudge now.

Next to his brother is their father, accompanied by a man of similar age and steely exterior who Kyoya has never seen in person, but recognizes as Iwakurba Koboyashi, the semi-retired CEO of one of Japan’s most prominent law firms. The gazes of both men are firmly fixed upon Tomiichi Bando as he stands in the dock, and Tomiichi Bando is watching the Judge.

“The jury has reached a unanimous decision.” Still more oxygen is sucked from the room, although nobody has exhaled, not even the assorted journalists. Two teams of lawyers- and a handful of investors- are concealing shaking hands.

“Guilty. On all counts.”

The exhalations of the onlookers are enough to cause an earthquake.

Haruhi barely even listens to the sentence being declared; she feels Yatsuba squeeze her hand and she knows they’ve done it. Keiko Yami is in the audience, clinging tightly to Takashi, but not crying with relief like the other victims. Her face is set in stone.

Catching Kyoya’s eye as the crowd starts to file out, Haruhi meets him by the doorway and grabs him for a hug before her colleagues appear. “We won!”

“You did.” He presses kisses to the top of her head. “I’m proud of you.”

She leans into him, closing her eyes against the hubbub of footsteps and excited chattering. They’ve only got one more exam each now, and then it’s the holidays and the grand opening of their hotels. Time to relax. All she needs is for Tamaki to come home, and everything will be alright.`  
No, better than alright. Everything will be-

“Miss Fujioka. May I have a word in private?"

Haruhi opens her eyes and realizes that Yoshio Ootori is standing in front of her.

 

-

Ten minutes later, she is sitting in a ridiculously luxurious office, although it’s tasteful at least. Behind the desk, the Ootori patriarch is reclining in the leather chair; she sits on the very edge of her own, trying to figure out exactly what the hell this man wants with her. Is it about what happened with Akito? They kept quiet, and if anything’s got out then surely there’s no proof she-

“May I offer you a drink?” Yoshio is pouring himself a glass of sake.

“Um, yes, thank you.” Haruhi accepts out of politeness, and the glass he hands her gives her something to fixate on rather than glancing nervously around.

Yoshio sips his drink. “I don’t expect you to know this, but Iwakurba Koboyashi and I are old friends, and so naturally, when he told me that his company had taken on an intern who was only eighteen, I was curious. Of course, it made sense when I recognized your name- after all, you are probably Ouran High’s most promising graduate of all time. More so than any of my own children.”

“I… thank you Sir. I don’t think that’s true though.” Haruhi is completely thrown off.

“It is not a compliment, merely a fact.” He looks at her over the top of his glasses in a _very_ familiar manner. “The Bando case piqued my interest for several reasons- not least because myself and the man were on the cusp of an enormous deal, and so I allowed my second son to sponsor the defense suit. The fact that Yatsuda-Koboyashi decided to place so much faith in a mere _intern_ made me unsure how to feel. Whilst I did not want my son to fail and my deal to fall through, I cannot help but route for an underdog.” He pauses to appraise her again with steel grey eyes.

Haruhi sips her drink, still wondering where this is going. Is he giving her his approval? Does he know that-

“And then the plot thickened. My youngest son came to me and blackmailed me into returning a certain engagement ring I confiscated from him over two years ago now.”

Oh.

“You look surprised Miss Fujioka. Do you think I didn’t know? I must say that I struggled to believe what Kyoya was doing, when he had cut ties with you before even starting University as per my instructions. But when the impending engagement announcement comes, I will show my full support.”

“We don’t want it.” Haruhi sets her glass down on the desk, keeping her hands steady. “Sir, I respect you as a businessman, but I don’t respect you as a Father. Kyoya and I are already engaged, and it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.”

Yoshio is obviously taken aback; the longer the silence stretches, the more Haruhi thinks that she may as well start digging her grave now. But then he breaks into a smile, and it’s disconcertingly- and genuinely- _warm._

“Very well. Think what you will. I only did what I thought was best for my son. But if it improves your opinion of me at all, then hear me out. Dear Koboyashi was so impressed with your performance on the Bando case that he wants to have you working full-time right alongside his nephew Kento Yatsuba as soon as you have been accepted into the bar. And since I know there’s no way you can afford to finish your final years-“ he pushes his glasses up his nose- “I told the University I would see to that. Don’t say anything, it’s already finalized. I am not trying to buy your affections Haruhi, I am simply doing a favour to a friend.”

She doesn’t know what to say, so she drains her glass and tries not to gag.  
Finally, she simply says, “Thank you. I don’t care what you think of me but I care what you think of my… fiancé. And since he is proud of me, perhaps you will be the same to him.”

“I am proud of him for sticking with his choices, even when they seemed entirely irrational. A true Ootori always thinks above and beyond the current situation. Which I know that you do too.” Yoshio smiles once more before standing. “Now, go and find my son. Tell him to take you somewhere warm for the weekend to recouperate after your hard work. And to stop trying to outmaneuver his old man.”      

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to get this finished and published by christmas day... that gives me two days to write and edit the final chapters. i should be able to do it, but I'm now in my noisy crowded family home, so wish me luck...


	39. Chapter 39

Tamaki stares out of the plane window, watching the density of the clouds oscillate in accordance with their height and speed. He breathes probably twice a minute, and blinks at about the same frequency, at complete odds with the fact that he’s currently moving at around nine hundred kilometres an hour.  
He’s spent the past week in France, split between the _du Bellay_ mansion on the outskirts of Paris, and his mother’s much more modest country cottage. And now that his mother tongue is fresh on his lips once more, he’s heading back to Japan. The Japanese say he’s too French for them, the French say he’s too Japanese for them. _I belong in the air somewhere in between._

“Master Suoh?” a gentle shake of his shoulder awakes him; he hadn’t even realized he’d dozed off. Tamaki stretches, with a curious glance up at the servant.  
“We are set to land soon. Shall I arrange for your car to-“

“Thanks, but no.” Tamaki smiles. He has the distinct feeling that somebody is already waiting for him- although not so much welcoming as reprimanding.

 His suspicions prove correct when he steps outside half an hour later and sees a familiar sleek black car parked right over the words ‘NO PARKING’. Tamaki lugs his suitcase over to the car and throws it in the boot before opening the passenger door and throwing himself down into the seat.

“You look more French,” Kyoya observes.

 _“Bonne observation.”_ Tamaki buckles his seat belt with a click. “Let’s get very drunk.”

 

-

 A few days ago, Haruhi had been handed a mobile phone with all the Ootori staff numbers programmed into it. It’s not the sort of thing she really wants to use, but after emerging from her meeting with Yoshio, she finds Kyoya waiting to tell her that the Suoh jet has been spotted and he’s going to go and wait for Tamaki at the airport.

“Do you want to come?”

Haruhi shakes her head. “I’m going to catch up with the rest of the team. I’ll tell you about what your dad said later.”

“See you tonight.” He kisses her on the cheek and hurries away, keys in hand.

Now, Haruhi finds herself alone in the emptying court building- where there is no phone signal. With a sigh, she wanders outside, nodding to some colleagues that wave, before slumping down on the front steps and pulling out the phone.  
 _This is only because I’m ages away from the train station and I’m too tired to walk. I’m not gonna live my life with people running round after me, even after my name changes._

“Miss Fujioka? How may I help?”

“Just Haruhi, please. I’d like a car from the Kamakura Courthouse to the Hitachiin residence, if that’s okay…”

“Certainly Mi- Haruhi. I’m on my way.”

She tucks the phone back into her pocket, flexing her fingers. True, she does deserve a break. But she hasn’t seen the twins since they arrived back in the country, and there’s something she needs to get to the bottom of…

“Why hello Haruhi. That was a good performance back in there, I do hope you’re proud.”

Haruhi looks to her right, and sees Myami Azuma perching herself on the step next to her.

“Of course, you’re not a credited lawyer and so nobody’s going to want to pay to interview you for the juicy details.” The woman smooths out her red pencil skirt in an offhand manner.

“Myami.” Haruhi folds her hands in her lap and stares forwards. “I assume that’s why you’re here, looking for a new story? Well, if you run back to the office you can be the first to break the news to the internet.”

Myami glances over the top of her reading glasses at Haruhi. “Well, I won’t pretend I’m not after an exclusive. After that little favour I did you, I lost my little security payments from Akito-san. Speaking of which-“ she places a hand on the side of Haruhi’s face, forcing the younger to turn and look- “I wasn’t the only double agent in all of that, was I? You are working for Kyoya Ootori.”

“ _With.”_ Haruhi corrects. “We are equal partners in business, with a third who was our schoolfriend. That new wellbeing hotel that I invited you to visit and review? It’s owned by Ootori-Suoh Hospitality Limited.”

“No Fujioka?” Ms Azumi raises her eyebrows, hand still cupping Haruhi’s face. “That’s hardly fair.”

“Well technically I’m a silent partner.” Haruhi is starting to get the impression that the journalist is coming onto her, but she doesn’t want to make enemies, so she doesn’t pull away yet.

“I see.” Myami’s lips have become very close to Haruhi’s ear. “Well, you remember the offer I made to you when we met before? It still stands, and as my _partner_ you would most definitely not be _silent…_ ”

Finally Haruhi straightens up, placing Myami’s hand into her own lap for her and moving a few inches away. “As I said then, you are a very beautiful woman. And I look forward to doing further business with you. But I intend to remain faithful to my fiancé.” She gets to her feet, spotting a familiar car approaching. “When you work out who he is, I’m sure that will be the exclusive you’re looking for.”

 

The driver is an elderly man, who smiles warmly as Haruhi slips into the car. She asks his name.

“Sakai.” He nods. “I’ve heard much about you Haruhi, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

They chat for the entirety of the journey, and Haruhi starts to think that maybe it won’t be so bad joining a family with servants. In what seems like no time at all, she arrives her destination.  
Haruhi thanks Sakai and waves as she closes the car door, before ringing the large gold bell. Seconds later, there are two identical shouts of “Haruhi!” and the door swings open, four hands pulling her inside and for a hug.

“Wait.” Kaoru frowns. “You just arrived in an Ootori car, didn’t you?”

 _You’re kidding me._ Haruhi makes a mental note that if she ever has to use one again, she’ll specify a _discrete_ vehicle. For now, she smiles through gritted teeth. “Alright, alright. Our business relationship has brought Kyoya and me fairly close again.”

“I knew it,” Kaoru grins. “So has he asked you back out yet?”

Hikaru is scowling, but he too grins as he says, “make sure he does it right this time.”

“I will.” Haruhi takes one of their hands in each of hers. “But you two have been hiding something way more important from me, and I want the truth.”

The twins exchange a loaded glance and a small nod. Hikaru leads the three of them up to the boys’ lounge, where William is just finishing up laying out tea and sandwiches.

“You didn’t have to do that babe.” Kaoru kisses his cheek before pulling him down on to the sofa. Hikaru sits next to his twin, and Haruhi crosses her legs on the carpet in front of them, pouring four cups of tea, listening to them talk.

 

_Hikaru bursts into the bedroom where Kaoru is drawing yet another family portrait.  
“Mumma says that I’m not going to see Dr Bando anymore! Apparently other people have said that he’s a very bad man, and she doesn’t trust him with me.”_

_Kaoru doesn’t react, just carries on colouring._

_“Isn’t it good news?” Hikaru presses. “It means that neither of us are-“_

_“I already have been.” Says Kaoru quietly. “Made to play that game.”_

_Hikaru’s small hands clench into white fists. “When?”_

_“Last time.” His twin still doesn’t look up from his picture._

_There is a crashing noise as Hikaru punches the wall with all his might. “I told you not go in my place again! I told you it was too dangerous! You should have let me-“_

_“It’s okay.” Aware of footsteps coming running, Kaoru gets to his feet and places a hand on his brother’s shoulder, trying to calm him. “I can handle bad things better than you, that’s what we were told. So it’s good that it happened to me instead of you.”_

There is silence for several minutes. William has wrapped both arms round Kaoru and is stroking up and down his forearms, obviously hearing all this for the first time, just like Haruhi.

“See, that’s…” Hikaru swallows. “That’s why I’m protective of people I care about. Because- because it should have been me, Kaoru, not you. That’s why I’ve always been so suspicious of you getting close to other people… And then when you came out as, you know, gay… it just seemed like you were asking for trouble. I saw what happened to that kid in our class who was open about it and I was scared that you’d get the same treatment.” He scratches the back of his neck, obviously uncomfortable with so many pairs of eyes on him, but continues. “I don’t resent you being gay. And I don’t resent the fact that you tried to protect me back then. I just always come off more aggressive than I mean to be. It’s like I can’t be nice about anything.”

Haruhi places her hand on Hikaru’s knee. “You can.” She murmurs. “See, you are right now. And you’re not even trying to, you’re just telling the truth.”

Hikaru looks down at her hand, face very red. “I was jealous of Kyoya at first.” He mumbles. “I thought he was a smarmy git. But I knew that you were happy. I was just looking out for you.”

“In your own way, that always ends up making you look like a jerk, when you’re really a sweetie.” Haruhi squeezes his knee. “Come on, we really shouldn’t let these sandwiches go to waste after William made them specially.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one more little chapter to go!!!


	40. Chapter 40

Rich people have many flaws. But they know how to party.

 The official excuse is the launch of Ootori-Suoh Hospitality Ltd’s patented Host Hotels, one of which is the location of the current party. But it’s also Christmas, and the end of the year, and the first time in far, far too long that the seven hosts are all in one room together.

 “Alright, we have an hour until the business people and the journalists arrive.” Haruhi is pouring nine glasses- Reiko and William are present too- of one of her father’s most highly reqested cocktails. “In order to keep things civil, I suggest we go round in a circle.”

"Since when were you Mommy?” Kyoya accepts a glass from her. “I thought that was my job. Not that I’m complaining.”

“Since the alcohol arrived.” Haruhi retorts. “Alright, Tamaki first. I’m dying to know what happened in France.”

The blonde picks up his own drink, prodding the floating fruit with a straw. “Well, as some of you know, I recently got in contact with a childhood friend by the name of Lucille. She came to Japan for a visit, and once she’d gone I realized I’m in love with her. I followed her back to France to tell her the truth.”

“I’m not sure if that’s cute or creepy.” Kaoru interrupts. His boyfriend puts a finger to his lips.

“Her Father didn’t approve of her mixing with illegitimate airs.” Tamaki continues. “So this seemed the perfect time to broach the subject with my own dear Mother of marriage. To my Father, I mean. I know both of them still love each other, and Grandmother would allow it now, I’m sure. But what my Mother said astonished me.” He takes a long, slow drink, before resuming.  
“She said no.” 

There is a round of gasps. Everyone knows at least some of the history between Tamaki’s parents.

The Suoh heir’s eyes become glassy as he stares into his drink. “She said that love can go on forever, but it can’t change anything. She’d lived all her life in France, and my Father in Japan. And it was too late to try an uproot things. She has a home, and she said that if it’s too far away for love then that’s how God meant it.”

There is silence. It makes sense, Haruhi thinks, there are things not worth giving up for love. But the story is horribly representative of Tamaki and Lucille.

“I know what you’re all thinking.” Tamaki glances round before returning his gaze to his glass. “That Lucille and I will be destined for the same unhappy ending. But her feelings are just as important as mine in this story; yes, she does want to stay living in France, although she likes Japan. And yes, she does love me back.   
Anyway, her Father runs a health food business, and I went to him with a business proposal to have him supply the hotels. He was quite impressed with this idea-“ he gestures around him- “and the fact that we’ve made such an unconvential idea work. And it has worked of course, we’re already fully booked up for the next four months in all six hotels.” Tamaki looks up, beaming proudly at his business partners, who smile back. “When he comes to visit for himself, Lucille is coming too. And if she likes what she sees enough again, I will ask her to move here to be with me. If she doesn’t, then we will stay as friends. Because-“ he clears his throat, now bright-eyed and meeting everyone’s gaze. “Because I am in love with her, but not enough to drop everything and move back to France. I have much more than just work and study here in Japan. I have friends that have become family. I have a home.”

“A toast then.” Kyoya raises his glass. “To the Host Club family.”

“To the Host Club family.” Glasses clink and voices murmur. When all the drinks are drained, Haruhi goes round and refills them, noticing multiple pairs of suspiciously bright and wet eyes.

“So who else has news?” Tamaki asks, trying to lighten the mood again.

“Me!” Honey jumps out of his seat. “I have something important, and it follows on from Tama-chan’s point quite well I think.”  
He turns to face Reiko. “My girlfriend here has become part of this family, and I know you feel like an outsider, but you’re one of us now. Reiko, I love your smile and your sense of humour, and the cakes you make, and spending time with you never fails to make me happy. I’m serious about our little cottage and the pet cats and all the rest of it. I hope that we can always be part of a family together, one way of another. So I wanted everyone to witness this; Reiko, will you do me the honour of marrying me?”

The tiny man is holding out a jewelry box, not needing to get down on one knee, looking up at his love with such eager hopefulness that Haruhi finds herself crossing her fingers.

“Yes. Of course I-“ Reiko bursts out into sobs. Honey slips the ring onto her hand and pulls her in for a tight hug. Everybody starts clapping, the twins chanting “Hooray!”

Happiness comes in many different forms and for many different reasons. For two of them at least, happiness is something they’ve earned from their years of modest, honest devotion to one another. No games, no bribes, no plotting. Just love.

“If only Keiko could have seen.” Honey looks to his cousin. “She’s not coming, is she?”

Takashi shakes his head. “Not fond of crowds.” He doesn’t seem to mind being one of the ones without a date though.

“They’re arriving!” With a sudden slam of the door, Ranka bursts in, resplendent in a tight red dress and white silk apron, purchased specially for running the bar tonight.

There’s a flurry of activity. Kyoya, Tamaki and Haruhi position themselves by the door to welcome each guest personally. The others all linger nearby.  
“By the way,” Kyoya calls over his shoulder, “Nobody asked what the hotels are called.”

Tamaki shrugs. “I never thought about it.”

“Well, they had rather stupid names before I bought them. But there are six of them, correct? There are six people that provided me with the inspiration behind everything you can see.”

“You didn’t.” Haruhi shoots a warning glare at Kyoya.

“I did.” He smirks. “In fact, this one is Hotel Haruhi.”

She rolls her eyes, but there’s no time to deliver a sarcastic comment, because the doors are swinging open.

 

-

Almost an hour passes before they finally get a break from greeting the various guests. As soon as the opportunity presents itself, Kyoya grabs Haruhi by the shoulder and drags her up the stairs to a balcony that overlooks the ballroom, allowing them a minute of privacy.

“It’s all paying off.” She buries her face in his chest. “We did it.”

“Of course we did.” Kyoya turns her round so that they can survey the scene together. “We can do anything.”

Below them, amidst a hubbub of smooth jazz, chatter and clinking glasses, the guests are dancing- Takashi and Ranka cutting a wide berth through the crowd as they execute a rather dangerous-looking waltz. Haruhi laughs, and then her eyes fall on Honey and Reiko, swaying slowly as they press close to one another.

Kyoya’s gaze follows Haruhi’s. “What do you think?” he asks. “Should we steal their thunder?”

Haruhi looks from her friends’ contended faces, to the opening ceremony of her new business empire, to the purple stone on her finger.  
“Probably best not to.” She replies. “We’ll tell them when everything’s died down a little.”

Kyoya lays one palm against her cheek, the other resting on the small of her back. He brings her face to his and presses their lips together.  
“Do you really think we’re going to have a quiet moment?” he asks when they separate.

“You’re right.” Haruhi snorts with laughter. “This is the Host Club, we don’t do calm and sensible.” She places her hand over Kyoya’s, intertwining their fingers. “Shall we go an mingle? I think your Father wants to dance with me.”

“If it’s all the same,” -he turns his head so that his mouth is against her ear- “I’d much rather sneak off upstairs for a little while. We could celebrate with just the two of us.”

Haruhi rolls her eyes for what she feels won’t be the last time this evening. “Tempting, believe me. But no. Not just yet.” She pecks her fiance’s cheek before starting to lead him back down stairs. “We have a duty to do. After all, we are hosts.”

Hand in hand, they descend once more into the lights and the laughter and the music.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who's been along for the ride with me! Consider this series finished, although I'm not ruling out the possibility of writing more for this fandom, maybe this pairing and maybe others. But for now, I'm done, and I hope you're all satisfied with the way I've ended this.


End file.
